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Hurriyat rules out participation in J&K poll

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference on Saturday ruled out participation in the forthcoming assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir, but decided to convene a meeting of its general council on Monday to discuss the invitation for talks extended by leader of the Kashmir Committee Ram Jethmalani.

"Today's executive meeting was a routine one but the issues discussed were extraordinary, delicate and sensitive in nature. The opinion of all the members was sought and we decided to convene a meeting of general council day after tomorrow to decide our response to the invitation for talks (by the Kashmir Committee)," Hurriyat chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said.

Briefing reporters about the executive committee meeting, which lasted nearly four hours, he said the executive also discussed the forthcoming election in the state and decided to announce 'no more talks on election'. "We are not going to participate in the election," Bhat said.

The executive committee also extended the tenure of Bhat as chairman of the 23-party amalgam for one more year.

The seven executive members unanimously granted the extension to Bhat, who was to relinquish the post on July 22.

"The decision on extension was taken at the last executive committee meeting but was kept in abeyance in view of certain compulsions," Bhat said.

However, he did not elaborate. He said the extension was made without amendment to the Hurriyat's constitution, which states that election to the chairman's post would be held every two years, as the council members had agreed to it unanimously.

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