Attention of militants, forces, politicians shifted to N Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 2 (UNI) The entire attention of militants, security forces and politicians has shifted to north Kashmir where election process for three assembly segments is in progress for the ensuing bypoll.

The authorities have held a number of high-level meetings for free, fair and peaceful polls while the separatist organisations have started boycott campaign and militants too have stepped up their activities, making an abortive bid on the life of Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig's nephew during an election rally.

The bypoll will be held on April 24 in Rafiabad, Sangrama and Pattan assembly segments in north Kashmir district of Baramulla, once considered stronghold of Hizbul Mujahideen and other militant outfits.

Concerned over the intelligence reports about militant designs to disrupt the election campaign and to keep away voters from the poll process, Divisional authorities and District administration have held a number of meetings with senior security, army and police officials.

Official sources said security of contesting candidates, voters and poll officials was discussed in length during these meetings.

It was decided to provide adequate security cover to all contesting candidates during their election meetings in each constituency.

Sources said the March 31 attack on Javid Ahmad Baig, nephew of Deputy Chief Minister, also came up for discussion. Javid, possible candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Sangrama segment, survived a close shave when militants lobbed a hand grenade towards his vehicle when he was going to address an election meeting in the constituency.

They said adequate security forces would be deployed in all the three constituencies during the election process. The road patrolling would be intensified along with night patrolling, they said.

Besides, there are intelligence reports that militant organisations would now step up activities in these constituencies by targeting politicians, the sources said adding adequate measures have been taken to frustrate any such attempt.

Besides both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah and the Kashmir Bar Association have issued a poll boycott call. The breakaway Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has already launched an election boycott campaign from Friday. Appealing people to stay away from the election process, he described the election as yet another drama to mislead the world.

Mr Geelani said participating in the voting process under present circumstances was to help the sell-out of the freedom struggle.

A number of other leaders of the breakaway HC were visiting different areas of all the three constituencies appealing people not to participate in the election process.

Almost all the militant outfits, including Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) based alliance of 13 oufits, United Jehad Council (UJC), have also directed people to stay away from the elections.

According to the election notifications, forms of nomination papers can be obtained from the offices of concerned returning officers and Assistant Returning officers to April 7, 2006.

The last date of filing nomination papers is April 7 while the scrutiny will be done next day.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 10, 2006.

In the event of the election being contested, the poll will take place on April 24, 2006 from 0700 hours to 1700 hours.

The bypolls in Rafiabad, Pattan and Bhaderwah have been necessitated following the resignation of the sitting legislators while the Assembly member from Sangrama, Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone, was killed by unidentified gunmen here on October 18 last year.

While Mr Dilawar Mir was the sitting member from Rafiabad, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari had won from Pattan and Mr Mohammad Sharief Niaz from Bhaderwah.

Both Mr Mir and Moulvi Ansari had won on the National Conference (NC) tickets, but later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and subsequently resigned from the state Assembly.

Mr Niaz of the Congress has vacated the seat for Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad while Dr Lone had won on a PDP ticket.

UNI