PDP Agents and Workers Called to Police Stations Before Voting, Says Mufti

In a significant development on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti raised concerns over the treatment of her party's polling agents and workers in South Kashmir. Mufti, who is contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, highlighted on social media that PDP affiliates are being compelled to report to local police stations ahead of Saturday's voting. "Why are the people of South Kashmir being punished for showing their faith in democracy?" Mufti questioned, tagging the Election Commission of India, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in her post.

The PDP has formally reached out to the Election Commission, seeking urgent intervention to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. The party's letter to the chief election commissioner outlined a disturbing scenario where police in Anantnag, Shopian, and Kulgam are allegedly intimidating PDP polling agents. According to the letter, several agents have been forcibly taken from their homes or summoned to police stations, resulting in what the party describes as illegal confinement.

Moreover, the letter accuses state administration officials of threatening and harassing workers, particularly in Anantnag district, to dissuade them from voting. This action is perceived by the PDP as a calculated effort by authorities, purportedly under the influence of candidates representing the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), to manipulate the election outcome.

The PDP's appeal to the Election Commission includes a demand for the immediate release of all detained polling agents and an assurance that no further obstacles will be placed by state officials that could compromise the fairness of the elections. This situation has cast a shadow over the democratic process in South Kashmir, raising questions about the conduct of free and fair elections in this critical phase.

This incident underscores the tense atmosphere surrounding the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting broader concerns about electoral integrity and democratic freedoms in the region. As voters prepare to cast their ballots, the actions taken by election authorities in response to these allegations will be closely watched by observers both within India and internationally.