news details |
|
|
| Ensure credibility of elections | | | | After a prolonged wait as election challenge finally comes real, the authorities at the helm of affairs must make all possible efforts to establish credulity of this exercise. We should not forget that elections in Jammu and Kashmir have always remained subject to international scrutiny for filthy and short-gained malpractices in the past. It took a great deal of effort, courage and sincerity to restore the credibility of elections in 2002 to the extent that even international community acknowledged their fairness and legitimacy. Credibility of 2002 elections in fact enhanced India’s image internationally and the country got an overwhelming endorsement to its stand on Kashmir. Those were the historical elections. Six years later, when next round of assembly elections have hit Jammu and Kashmir; there should be no room for complacency of any kind. The Governor’s administration must make all possible efforts that no doubts are raised on any action. It was unfortunate and unpleasant to note the manner in which some transfers and postings were ordered after the elections had been announced. That the Election Commission of India took an exception to this action, was something unexpected in the apolitical administration of the Governor. Despite warning from the election commission the process has not stopped yet. It certainly causes a lot of doubts, even for the layman the decision of the government in shifting the Home Secretary and Deputy Commissioners of at least three districts does not go well. These are the key people associated with election exercise and their transfers just on the eve of polls drops sufficient hints of motives. We understand that government must be having some cogent reasons for taking such a decision but this needs to be explained for keeping the public trust up. Authorities must look into this aspect to ward off the suspicions in public eye. Both, the Election Commission and the State government would have to take lot of measures for a free and fair poll as the sway and fear of separatists would be there on the common man. The announcement of elections has been welcomed by PDP and NC. However, as was expected the Hurriyat Conference and other separatist outfits said they will boycott the assembly elections. Hurriyat has nothing to do with this meaningless exercise and would ask the people to stay away from it as well, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the separatist amalgam's moderate faction has already said. Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yaseen Malik said his group will canvass actively for a poll boycott in the state. It is the democratic right of the people whether to vote or not..., Malik said. The JKLF chief said elections have failed to resolve the Kashmir issue in the past. Separatists have their own reason to go against polls and there is nothing new in it but the establishment must extra efforts that no one has a chance to doubt the process. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
