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The Centre and Election Commission on Monday ruled out postponement of the elections to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, a demand made by the Kashmir Committee headed by Ram Jethmalani.
On his return from the Valley on Sunday, Jethmalani had said that except for the ruling National Conference, all quarters in Kashmir wanted the polls to be postponed so that it could result in wider participation.
The demand was rejected both by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh.
Advani, in interviews to TV channels, also said that those organisations with affinity to Pakistan would not take part in the elections.
"I don't think that postponement of polls would ensure wider participation because it is clear that there are elements under Pakistan's influence due to financial reasons or fear. They will not participate," Advani said.
He said, "It has to be kept in mind that changing the dates, which have already been announced, will provoke a reaction among certain sections of the people."
Earlier, Lyngdoh said in Srinagar that the Election Commission had no "intention" of postponing the polls and that any decision regarding this could only be taken by the Centre.
Lyngdoh, who was on a three-day tour of the state to review the poll preparedness there, said the election schedule had already been issued.
Notification for the first of the four-phased elections would be issued on August 22 as per schedule, he added.
The state Chief Electoral Officer Pramod Jain said that 28,000 personnel would be deployed to man 7000 polling stations in the state. "Five thousand officers are being brought in from Utter Pradesh and Punjab for poll duties to augment the local staff. Each polling station will have two officers from outside and two from the local staff. We will ensure free and fair poll," he said.
"We have made elaborate arrangements for the boarding, lodging and security of the staff from outside. They will be taken to their respective polling station well in advance under tight security," he added.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Panthers Party to approach either the Delhi or J&K high court on the issue of postponement of elections in the state on the ground that electoral rolls have not been properly prepared.
A bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti and Justice Brijesh Kumar said that there was no reason why petitioner Bhim Singh, chief of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, should not approach the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution and come straight to the apex court.
The bench clarified that it had not expressed any opinion on the maintainability of the petition.
Singh contended that over 500,000 voters, due to continued violence in the state, had not been registered as voters.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election: The Complete Coverage
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