Voter registration of non-locals in Kashmir stopped after opposition outrage

SRINAGAR: After opposition outrage over what it had alleged was a deliberate attempt to fiddle with the demography of Jammu and Kashmir to benefit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Assembly elections, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jammu has withdrawn the notification authorising tehsildars to issue certificates of residence to those residing in the district for more than a year to enable their registration as voters.

Jammu’s DC Avny Lavasa has, in an order under the subject ‘The Special Summary Revision 2022’ issued early Thursday, said that the “acceptance of document for registration of electors, dated October 11 issued is withdrawn and be treated as void”.

The earlier order had authorised revenue officials in the district to issue certificates of residence after necessary field verifications amid the ongoing special summary revision of electoral rolls.

She had said that the documents that could be accepted for registration of new voters included water, electricity or gas connection for one year, Aadhaar card, current passbook of nationalized and scheduled banks or post office, Indian passport, revenue documents land owning records including Kisan Bahi, registration rent or lease deed (in case of tenant) and registered sale deed in case of own house.

The order, however, also stated that in case none of these documents is available, field verification is required. “For example, categories like homeless Indian citizens who are otherwise eligible to become electros but do not possess any documentary proof or ordinary residence, electoral registration officers shall designate any officer for field verification,” the order read.

But the DC’s order triggered a political controversy with various opposition parties terming it a well-planned conspiracy to add non-local voters in the electoral rolls ahead of the J&K Assembly elections likely to be held early next year.

Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, had alleged that the DC’s order “makes it clear that the Government of India ‘s colonial settler project has been initiated in Jammu”. She had added, “They will bear the first blow to Dogra culture, identity, employment and business”.

National Conference (NC) MP Justice (retired) Hasnain Masoodi had said that the order reinforces the party’s apprehensions of disempowerment of local people of J&K. “Authorising revenue officers to issue, even in absence of documents, certificates declaring the recipients as “ordinarily residing” in a constituency and facilitate their enrolment as voters as a steps towards addition of 25 lakh non local voters and disempowerment of the people of J&K,” he had said.

CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami had termed DC’s order as “arbitrary” and said that “it is the beginning of a wider plan to reduce the weightage of locals in order to change electoral demographics”.

Former chief minister and Democratic Azad Party leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, too had opposed the move, asserting “People from outside should not cast their vote in J&K...only local voters should be allowed”. JKPCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani had remarked “the cat is finally out of the bag.”

However, the BJP had defended the DC’s order, pointing out that after the abrogation of Article 370, the Representation of People Act 1951 became applicable to J&K as well and that, as per this act of Parliament enacted under Article 327 of the Indian Constitution before the first general elections in the country, allows ordinarily residing person to get registered in electoral rolls of J&K, provided she or he gets the name deleted from the electoral roll of her or his native constituency wherever it is.

BJP’s J&K unit chief Ravinder Raina had said, “The process of registration of new voters in J&K is going on as per the constitution of the country. Our country’s constitution says that the citizen of the country who is residing at a place for a long time can register himself / herself as a voter after deleting his/her name from his native place”.

A similar row had erupted in August when J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Hirdesh Kumar, had told a press conference in Jammu that any Indian citizen ‘ordinarily’ residing in the UT even for purposes of work, business or education can after the change in domicile laws vote in its Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections.

He had also said that 22 to 25 lakh new voters including those who have attained the eligible age of 18 years by October 1, 2022 are expected to be enrolled in the UT as the special summary revision of electoral rolls is being held for the first time after abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

As his statement triggered a row with various opposition parties articulating their anger in public and locking horns with the government and the BJP over it, the authorities were quick to call the talk of adding up 2.5 million new voters a “misrepresentation of facts by vested interests”.