Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Omar Abdullah wants delayed polls in J&K, but has little support
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Omar Abdullah wants delayed polls in J&K, but has little support

Omar Abdullah wants delayed polls in J&K, but has little support

Sameer Yasir • October 24, 2014, 14:13:39 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

If the EC decided to hold elections on time despite the devastating floods, the voter turnout mostly in Kashmir region, will be effected severely.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Omar Abdullah wants delayed polls in J&K, but has little support

Srinagar: The Election Commission is likely to conduct polls in Jammu and Kashmir in late November or early December despite reservations expressed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his party, the National Conference. Omar had recently warned that if the elections were held on time there would be “zero percentage turnout” in Srinagar, and its adjoining areas that saw unprecedented floods. However, all other parties in the state, including the BJP, disagree with him. “The state capital anyway had less than optimum turnout in elections. Tomorrow, when zero percentage turnout will happen in Srinagar, who will you blame for that? You certainly can’t blame me. Because I am not the one who is pushing for elections. You have to blame those people who are trying to hold elections,” Omar said in New Delhi after meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The devastating floods in Kashmir valley last month left at least 285 people dead and rendered thousands of people homeless. Around 25 assembly constituencies, including eight in Srinagar city, were severely effected. Relief and rehabilitation work is still on in these areas. [caption id=“attachment_1770537” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] ![Making a strong case for delayed polls. PTI image](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/OmarAbdullah_PTI_25March.jpg) Making a strong case for delayed polls. PTI image[/caption] But political observers say it is better to have political governance in the state then the governor’s rule, no matter how effective the rehabilitation process. “It seems the state administration has given the feedback to Election Commission that elections should be held on time. If they are not, there would be a vacuum, which may not be a good political choice,” Rekha Chowdhry, a professor of political science at Jammu University told Firstpost. “If there is a change of guard, the new government would be inheriting problems of current dispensation, there are already allegation of corruption against it in the handling of relief material. I think it is appropriate to hold the elections then have Governor’s rule,” she added. It is a view echoed by renowned International Relations and Kashmir expert Professor Amitabh Matoo, presently heading the Australia India Institute in Melbourne. In an email interview to Firstpost, Matoo said, if the Election Commission goes ahead with holding the elections on time, it would be a timely, “well thought out decision.” Although counter-intuitive, it could prove to be persuasive. “Perhaps it is a time for a change and for ensuring the most inclusive of elections," he said. The state, Matoo said, has to now be rebuilt with a vision and its people rehabilitated with dignity and given hope. “We cannot afford to have Governor’s rule - however effective it may be but which has no accountability whatsoever- or continue with a government that legally will have outlived its tenure in January, but has already lost all moral legitimacy,” he said. But, if the EC decided to hold the elections on time in the wake of the devastating floods, the voter turnout mostly in Kashmir region, will be effected severely. “Srinagar is completely devastated there has already been a precedent of voting percentage remaining low, now if the elections are held in November, I don’t think Srinagar would witness one percentage of voting,” Ajaz Ahmad, a political scientist based in Srinagar, said. “Even in the villages where voting percentage would normally remain high as compared to Srinagar, there is every possibility it would be low if polls are held in November or December,” he added. The Omar Abdullah government will complete its six-year term on January 19, 2015. If the Election Commission decided to defer the elections paving way for Governor’s rule in the state, it would be least supported by a majority of the political parties in state. The BJP’s state unit, which wants an early election in the state, is banking on the anti-incumbency factor against the Omar government and the pro-Modi wave in Jammu to sweep the Jammu region. It also believes the tough response adopted by the Indian government on the Pakistani ceasefire along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu would benefit it. Chief spokesperson for the People’s Democratic Party, Nayeem Akhtar, said the National Conference wants the elections to be delayed as they are facing the anger of the people for failing to deliver and would like Governor’s rule in the state to buy time. “But the democratic process should not be derailed, their argument is that relief efforts and rehabilitation process would be derailed, but there ability to deliver is highly questionable. No one in the state takes them serious now,” Akhtar said. “Kashmir presently needs a long-term plan for rehabilitation and the present government even lacks the skill for that,” he said.

Tags
BJP Governor Chief minister Omar Abdullah PoliticalPlay Election Commission National Conference Floods Srinagar winter People's Democratic Party (PDP)
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV