India to register up to 2.5 million voters in contested Kashmir
By Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) – India is anticipated to register as many as 2.5 million new voters within the contested Jammu and Kashmir area, a prime official stated late on Wednesday, in a transfer native political events stated was an try to affect upcoming elections.
The Muslim-majority area is claimed in full however dominated partially by nuclear arch-rivals India and Pakistan, who’ve fought two wars over management of the territory.
India stripped semi-autonomy from its portion of the area in 2019, altering the Indian structure to permit non-Kashmiris to vote and personal land there.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar instructed reporters on Wednesday that greater than 2 million new voters are anticipated to be enrolled within the area forward of native polls due in November. The brand new registrants may enhance the voter rely by greater than a 3rd, including to the prevailing 7.6 million voters within the area.
“We expect an addition of (2 to 2.5 million) new voters within the remaining checklist,” Kumar stated, together with non-Kashmiris dwelling within the area.
Kashmiris worry the rule adjustments will permit the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) authorities led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the demographics of the area, quelling a decades-long independence motion.
The BJP says its insurance policies within the area are for the advantage of bizarre Kashmiris.
There was sharp criticism from the primary political events in Kashmir over the transfer.
Former chief minister and J&Okay Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti stated it’s geared toward influencing the election outcomes.
“Permitting non-locals to vote is clearly to affect election outcomes. Actual intention is to proceed ruling J&Okay with an iron fist to disempower locals,” she stated in a tweet.
A second former chief minister Omar Abdullah, from the rival Jammu & Kashmir Nationwide Convention, was additionally important of the choice.
“Is the BJP so insecure about help from real voters of J&Okay that it must import momentary voters to win seats?” he tweeted.
(Reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar; Modifying by Alasdair Pal and Josie Kao)
