JAMMU: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Jammu and Kashmir unit today demanded that the upcoming assembly elections in the re-organized state should be conducted through ballot paper.
Addressing a press conference at the party state office today, Manish Sahni, President J&K Shiv Sena said that the Central Government is claiming that everything is normal after the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir, but there is constant evasiveness regarding the restoration of the democratic process.
“After ending of PDP-BJP coalition government in 2018 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and the abrogation of Article 370, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor continue to rule,” Sahni said, adding that almost all preparations including delimitation, voter lists have been completed in Jammu and Kashmir. Many Union Ministers including the Home Minister of the country, during their visit to Jammu and Kashmir, have shouted for early elections.
Sahni said in a challenging tone that if the BJP has full faith in its decisions regarding Jammu and Kashmir, then the upcoming elections should be conducted soon and through ballot paper.
Sahni expressed surprise that despite inflation, unemployment and economic slowdown in the country, the victory of one party in most of the elections and its defeat in the by-elections has increased public’s suspicion on EVMs. Instead, the ballot paper is considered reliable. While, EVMs were never used in foreign countries like England and France, he said, adding that even at the national level, all the opposition parties are raising questions over the credibility of EVMs.
Sahni said that Chief Election Commission’s is visiting Jammu and Kashmir by the end of the month and Shiv Sena will meet the Election Commission and will raise the demand that the first assembly elections of reorganized Jammu and Kashmir should be conducted through ballot paper. Along with this, in the upcoming meeting of the all-party opposition parties, the voice will be raised after agreeing on this demand, he added.
Among others who were present in the press conference include Meenakshi Chibber,Vikas Bakshi ,Raj Singh.