 "PDP will boycott panchayat, local body polls says Mehbooba Mufti; urges Centre to review decision to hold elections")
At a press briefing held in Srinagar on Monday, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti announced to the media that PDP would be boycotting panchayat elections and local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir scheduled from next month, reported NDTV. Mufti said that that linking panchayat polls to case pending in the Supreme Court on Article 35 A has created apprehensions in minds of people. Mufti said that the ground situation is not conducive for panchayat polls and the PDP, therefore, urges the government to review its decision to hold polls at this juncture. Referring to the panchayat polls, Mufti further added that looking at the situation, PDP has decided to ‘stay away from the process’.
After NC's Dr Farooq Abdullah, PDP's Mehbooba Mufti too decides to boycott upcoming civic and panchayat polls in the Jammu and Kashmir state. 'Linking panchayat polls to 35A case in Supreme Court has created apprehensions in minds of people,' Mufti said. #Kashmir #Article35A pic.twitter.com/1zv1AgNIH7
— Zulqarnain Ibn Usuf | ذوالقرنین ابن یوسف (@mzzulfi) September 10, 2018
On 5 September, Mufti had tweeted on her official account stating that the central government’s plea in Supreme Court to link decision on 35A with panchayat and urban bodies elections, was a ‘disastrous idea’.
The central government’s plea in Supreme Court to link decision on 35A with panchayat and urban bodies elections , was a disastrous idea, which has further alienated the people and complicated the situation on ground .
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 5, 2018
Mufti’s announcement came the same day that National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah , had announced that the party will not participate in the panchayat and urban local bodies (ULB) elections until the Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir state government make their position clear on Article 35A. He also asked the state and Central governments to take effective steps for the protection of Article 35A in and outside the court.
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