Jammu and Kashmir Admin Greenlights NC Poll Rallies After Omar's Appeal

In a significant development ahead of the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat elections scheduled for May 20, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has granted the National Conference (NC) permission to conduct public rallies on May 12 in the Sopore police district. This decision was announced shortly after NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, who is also a candidate for the Baramulla seat, appealed to the Election Commission to allow his campaign activities to proceed as planned.

The district election authority has allowed the NC to hold a public meeting at Malmapanpora village in Sopore from 10 am to 5 pm on the specified date, with adherence to certain conditions in line with election guidelines. The permission, facilitated by a no-objection certificate from the Sopore police, was communicated by Baramulla's additional district magistrate. However, it was noted that this approval could be revoked if deemed necessary for administrative or state security interests.

This development follows a letter from Sopore's Superintendent of Police (SP) Divya D to the additional district magistrate, which outlined adjustments to the schedule of political activities in the area. An earlier order had postponed a car rally and a political rally, while not providing a new date for a May 12 gathering initially planned in Behrampora. Abdullah was slated to participate in these events.

The SP's letter also laid out conditions for the rally's conduct, emphasizing that participants and organizers must not engage in unlawful activities, deliver provocative speeches, or carry objectionable flags during the campaign. It stressed adherence to the Model Code of Conduct and specified that the election campaign should not disrupt traffic movement or school functions.

Controversy had arisen from the senior police officer's initial decision to reschedule political activities in Sopore, with NC accusing the UT administration of bias and hindering a fair electoral process. In response, Baramulla's election officer clarified that all decisions were made considering security advisories and consultations with relevant authorities. The adjustments were attributed to credible security concerns as advised by SSP Sopore, with subsequent permissions aligning with revised security assessments and Election Commission of India guidelines.

Sopore is part of the Baramulla constituency where former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah is vying for a seat. The campaigning is set to conclude on May 18 at 5 pm. The rescheduling directive had also led to the cancellation of a Peoples Conference rally in Rafiabad, indicating ongoing security operations in response to intelligence reports about foreign terrorists in the region.

Abdullah took to social media platform X to express his concerns over the police directive, suggesting it was an attempt to undermine his campaign due to its positive reception across North Kashmir. He accused his opponents of leveraging administrative support to favor BJP proxy candidates and called on the Election Commission of India to address this issue.