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| NC wants polls deferred, EC says not at this stage | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 14: Barely two days have left for first phase of polling in ten assembly constituencies and the National Conference has made an ‘apt demand’ –call off elections as weather is adverse.
The Election Commission of India has not taken much time in responding to NC demand. “We are not postponing anything at this stage”, said Deputy Election Commissioner R Bhattacharya in New Delhi while reacting to NC demand. The CEC further clarified: “while deciding election schedule after meetings with all political parties, chilly weather including snowfall was factored in and the contingency plans were accordingly made”.
Meanwhile NC’s demand has given much needed impetus to the rivals in battle field who say that once election exercise has been initiated the bad weather may be for National Conference alone. Reacting to NC demand, PDP said, “situation was not at all suitable for elections at this stage but the NC thrust elections on people. Now when it is feeling the heat of adverse public mood, NC is crying over cold”, said a PDP leader.
Earlier today National Conference urged the Chief Election Commission (CEC) to postpone the ensuing Assembly elections in the Jammu and Kashmir following inclement weather. In a statement issued from Srinagar this afternoon, the NC President Omar Abdullah said the vagaries of weather will not permit the poll process to be conducted smoothly.
He further said the electorate would not be able to exercise their franchise and the political parties would not be able to campaign in view of the snowfall not only in the upper reaches of the valley but also in Srinagar city, which has never ever witnessed such a heavy snowfall in the mid of November.
Abdullah suggested considering the weather conditions prevailing in the valley and also in the upper reaches of Jammu region and Ladakh, the Election Commission should postpone the elections to March - April 2009 because by then the weather would improve and a free, fair and smooth election process would be possible. He said the unexpected weather conditions have compelled him to postpone the elections despite the fact that the mood of the electorate was overwhelmingly in favour of the National Conference.
In New Delhi, the Election Commission rejected National Conference demand for postponement of assembly polls in view of snowfall, saying the first phase of the elections would be held as scheduled.
"No decision has been taken by the Commission for postponement for first phase of polling in the state (due on November 17) and contigency plans are there for transporting poll personnel" Deputy Election Commissioner R. Bhattacharya told reporters while replying a question on demand by NC to defer the polls in view of unseasonal heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley.
Bhattarcharya said the Commission while planning the exercise had factored snowfall. He said no political party has so far approached the EC seeking postponement of the elections.
Earlier during two day visit to the state, the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had on Wednesday said that polls would be free and fair while participation in them should be the worry for the contesting parties.
Asking voters to come out fearlessly to exercise their franchise, the CEC had said that no political party had any "complaint on the ground situation in the state".
Gopalaswami said the poll percentage should be a worry for the political parties. "Our worry is the weather in Kashmir." |
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