J&K: Authorities Prepare for Local Body Elections Amid Boycott, Fragile Security Situation

Sitting in a dimly lit room in Srinagar, Ghulam Mohidin, a former sarpanch, looks downcast. He has not visited his native village in southern Kashmir for several years, as political workers have been attacked, threatened and killed since the past few years. “Threats and killings have scared all the mainstream party workers, especially in South Kashmir,” he told Newsclick.

For the last several years, Ghulam, along with 20 other former sarpanch and panch, has been living away from their native villages in a hotel in Srinagar. The government has provided security for the hotel, but the inmates feel caged, as they rarely venture out. Almost everyone has survived assassination attempts, kidnappings, and has lost family members. “After all our sacrifice, we have only received humiliation and social alienation,” he said. Saying that he would not participate in the elections, as it would bring more bloodshed and violence, he added, “The elections cannot be held in the present situation. There is no question of holding public rallies anywhere. People will chop us into pieces if we ask for votes. Everyone knows what happened when the by-polls for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat were conducted last year.”

At least eight people lost their lives in clashes during the Srinagar by-election that was held on April 9, 2017. Fearing a similar backlash, authorities deferred the by-polls for Anantnag Parliamentary seat, which were scheduled three days later, which had become vacant after Mehbooba Mufti took over as the chief minister of the state. The seat continues to remain vacant, as the security situation has gone from bad to worse, and mainstream politics has been virtually brought to a halt.

Pic by kamran yousuf/News click

In the past two to three days, four Panchayat Ghars have been set on fire by unknown arsonists in South Kashmir. This is happening just two weeks before the municipal elections are going to be conducted in the state. This phenomenon signifies the deteriorating security situation, which may turn into a nightmare for the security apparatus in Kashmir during the upcoming polls.

Additionally, two major political parties of Jammu and Kashmir- the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – have announced the boycott of the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections fearing a deterioration in political stability, as militancy has grown deep among the masses. Despite all the shortcomings, the administration has decided to go ahead with the polls.

Pic by kamran yousuf/News click

The State Election Commission (SEC), on September 15, announced that the voting for the municipal elections, which will take place in the state after 13 years, will be held in four phases – on October 8, 10, 13 and 16 – Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra announced in a news conference on Saturday. Votes will be counted on October 20, and the election process will be completed on October 27. Similarly, the panchayat elections would be held in nine phases in the state, starting from November 17. The polling will be held on November 17, 20, 24, 27, 29, and December 1, 4, 8, and 11. The polling hours will be from 8 am to 2 pm.

A total of 17 lakh voters will be eligible to elect representatives to 79 municipal bodies in the state, including the municipal corporations of Srinagar and Jammu. Twenty of these municipal bodies are in South Kashmir, where militancy is on the rise. At least 58 lakh voters will vote in the 4,400 panchayat halqas in 316 blocks of the state. Out of a total 35,096 panch constituencies, 6,160 are in South Kashmir which is considered as the hub of militancy.

To tackle the security challenge, the Election Commission has separated the urban local body elections from the panchayat polls to allow for the security structure to move from the urban to the rural areas. “The election authority as well as the security apparatus have gone into detail, looked at various aspects and are reasonably sure that there will be very good participation in the election,” the CEO said. He added, “One doesn’t provide security to each person per say. It’s the security environment which is to be provided and we have looked into the aspect. I am reasonably sure that it will be possible to peacefully hold free and fair elections.”

However, locals fear violence and protests in the upcoming polls as it had happened earlier in Lok Sabha elections. A local from Shopian district, Basit Ahmad, while talking to Newsclick said, “People are not in a mood to vote this time, as they feel betrayed by mainstream political leaders”.

Another local from north Kashmir, Firdous Ahmad, told Newsclick, “The North has seen less violence as compared to the South, but the elections might change that. I think people will not vote in either regions”. He also questioned, “How can the authorities take a chance when they have witnessed the situation in South Kashmir since the past several years?”

Responding to the announcement of the poll schedule in Jammu & Kashmir, the State Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir told Newsclick that the decision to hold elections was unilateral, and was against the spirit of participatory democracy. “The situation in the valley is not conducive whether anyone admits it or not,” he said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] has also decided to stay away from the polls, saying that the decision to hold elections shows the arrogance of power. “Despite the boycott by major political parties, the government has decided to go for power. This shows the arrogance of the BJP-led central government,” CPI (M) general secretary Ghulam Nabi Malik said in a statement on Monday.

On September 5, 2018, the National Conference had said that it would not participate unless the centre cleared its stand on Article 35 A, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir. “It is now for the central government to clarify where it stands with regard to Article 35A. It's not enough to use panchayat and municipal elections simply to delay proceedings in court,” said Omar Abdullah, the National Conference vice-president and former chief minster.

A few days later, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) also passed a resolution, wherein they have called for a boycott of the elections. The resolution said, “It was felt that any attempt to impose any electoral exercise in the current atmosphere of fear and apprehension would erode the credibility of the process. It would defeat the very purpose of it.”

The separatist leaders have also appealed the people to boycott the elections. “We appeal people to boycott every election, be it Panchayat, Assembly or Parliament, as it provides the Indian leadership an opportunity for changing the demography and discourse of Jammu and Kashmir, state subject law and for economic exploitation. The people who participate in these elections are not sincere and they just play with the sentiments of the people for their petty gains,” said the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani, in a statement on Monday.

Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said that the major challenge before the police was to instil in people a sense of security so that they can cast their votes without any fear. “As far as security is concerned, we have made all necessary arrangements for the polls,” he told reporters during a press conference in Jammu region.

Singh said that stern action should be taken against the elements that foment trouble, and at the same time contingency plans should be ready to tackle any eventuality. “We should be selective and specific for better results on the ground,” he said, and directed the police that due care must be taken in all the situations so that things do not precipitate in to any law and order situation.

Moreover, the centre has already moved in additional security forces for the first phase of the municipal elections. “The security forces have been called early in order to familiarise them with the condition on the ground. Security remains key, and we have focused to strengthen the grass root democracy in the state,” a senior police officer, who keeps track of security arrangements for the elections, said.

No one but BJP ready for Polls

On August 28, Hizbul Mujaheedin chief commander Riyaz Naikoo warned people against taking part in the upcoming panchayat elections in the state, saying they should bring shrouds along with the election forms. “Bring shrouds along with election forms,” Naikoo can be heard saying in a 12-minute video. “We have brought hydrochloric and sulphuric acid for people who are planning to contest in the elections,” Riyaz is clearly heard saying in the video.

For the last one year, militants have been threatening several political workers by visiting their homes. Posters have surfaced across Kashmir asking the workers “to dissociate themselves from the parties or face the music”. Following this several political workers have resigned from their parties or have gone into hiding.

While talking to Newsclick, senior PDP leader Abdul Majeed Larmi said, "Everybody is aware of the present situation. We will be happy if the government creates a conducive environment for polls. It’s a very bad decision to go for polls in these days."

The BJP, however, believes that elections would strengthen democracy at the grassroots level and would ensure the development of the region. "We have always welcomed the polls, as the election was long pending. It is the first step of democracy. All our candidates are ready for the election,” Manzoor Ahmad, the BJP spokesperson told Newsclick. He added that with these elections, Jammu and Kashmir would get its share of central funds. He also said, “In 1990, the situation was worse than today but the elections were conducted successfully.”

Former Sarpanch feel Betrayed

The panch regret their decision of contesting last elections as government forgot them after the elections were over. “During the elections, we were assured that Rs. 6,000 will be provided for campaigning, but that money has not been paid so far,” Javed Ahmad, a former sarpanch from south Kashmir told Newsclick, adding that the honorarium of the sarpanch was still pending with the department.

His wife, Nighat Akhter lamented that for the last one decade she has been living in one room. “We are living a life of misery. What would we do in one shabby room? It seems the government is punishing us for supporting the democracy,” she said, adding, “People outside call us traitors and collaborators.”

Sheikh Mohidin Shabnum, chairman of the All Jammu and Kashmir Political Migrant Front, told Newsclick that the panch and sarpanch were made scapegoats by the political parties. “We were used by the political parties for their own benefit. We have left our homes, lost loved ones and survived several attacks. If we fight on non-party lines, then people can participate in the elections freely,” he said.

Echoing him, the general secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Raj movement, an amalgam of 22,000 panch and sarpanch, Bashir Ahmad told Newsclick that if the elections are conducted on the non-political lines, almost 90 per cent of the panch will be ready, otherwise it is difficult to conduct elections in these times,” he said, adding that it doesn't affect the overall Kashmir issue.