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| EPIC row now political plank | | Omar wants complete verification, Mehbooba feels this may harass voters | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | May 2
Following recovery of Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) from Pakistan origin slain militants in north Kashmir, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party are about lock themselves against each other in fresh controversy.
While the National Conference has asked for a thorough verification of EPICs across the Kashmir Valley to ward off the chances of Pakistan based militants taking part in elections, the PDP has strongly come against such move which the party says amounts to harassing the voters.
National Conference has decided to approach the Election Commission with a request to verify the authenticity of the voter identity cards issued to people. "We are writing a letter to the Election Commission shortly, requesting it to re-examine the voter identity cards issued to voters in the state", National Conference president Omar Abdullah said while addressing a press conference in Srinagar today.
However, in New Delhi, the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said that a case in isolation (recovery of EPICs from few militants) should not be generalized. She pointed out that a large scale verification may result into harassment of voters who may not come to vote at all.
Taking a strong stand on the issue, the NC president Omar Abdullah said, "we do not recognize these cards and would demand re-examination of these before the assembly polls due later this year”. The NC chief said his party would raise such queries when the Election Commission starts its consultation process here.
If militants could lay hands on such cards why not other people who are not voters, Omar said, adding, it will pose a difficult situation if not checked prior to elections. The NC chief also demanded setting up of a reconciliation commission to identify the missing persons in the state.
“The main purpose (of EPIC) is to make the polling process less cumbersome as in our state people come to vote after going through hardships because of terrain and security. In the last assembly and the municipal elections the voting percentage was very high”, says Mehbooba.
She pointed out, “the manner in which the Election Commission has allowed other documents like ration card, driving license or any such valid document for the assembly elections in Karnataka should be followed in Jammu and Kashmir too. There is not enough time for starting the EPIC exercise all over again”.
She conceded that there can be forgery in other photo identification documents as well, but said the parties would have to take chances. “There are many ways in which forgery can be committed. Many Bangladeshi migrants had got ration cards in India. The Election Commission can take measures to ensure fair polls. It can put voters' list on the website”, she said. |
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