Harsh Dev Accuses BJP-EC Collusion to Deprive Jammu and Kashmir of Democratic Rights

Harsh Dev said that during the recent hearing on Article 370 and allied matters in the Supreme Court, the constitution bench had questioned the government over the denial of electoral democracy to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Accusing the Election Commission (EC) of scuttling the election process initiated for local bodies polls in J&K at the behest of the BJP, Panthers Party activists led by president and former minister Harsh Dev Singh on Monday staged a protest outside Nirvachan Bhawan here.

The protesters raised slogans demanding immediate conduct of municipal elections as per the original schedule. They further sought immediate holding of assembly polls in J&K which have been “denied to erstwhile state for the last five years”.

Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev Singh said that during the recent hearing on Article 370 and allied matters in the Supreme Court, the constitution bench had questioned the government over the denial of electoral democracy to the people of J&K.

“And the BJP government had categorically stated that the process for municipal elections had already been set in motion and that they were going to be held shortly. To ensure the implementation of its assurance to the SC, the state election body had issued the process and announced the reservation chart also for all the wards of the UT. But the said process seems to have died a quite death after BJP’s disagreement with the said proposal”, said Harsh.

He further maintained that the government had taken a stand through its attorney in the Supreme Court that it was all prepared for the assembly elections also and that the final call would be taken by the Election Commission.

“It was shocking that despite an unambiguous statement made before the Supreme Court, the elections were again being evaded only to address the political concerns of the ruling party”, Harsh claimed.

Urging the EC to proceed with its original schedule for timely municipal elections, he said that any postponement of the said elections would not only amount to contempt of Supreme Court but also erod