Amid a row over the inclusion of non-local voters in Jammu and Kashmir electoral rolls, the administration on Saturday clarified that no change has been made in the special provisions for Kashmiri migrants for their enrolment in the electoral rolls of their original native constituencies, reported Daily Excelsior.
An order issued by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said that Kashmiri migrants will continue to be given the option of voting at their place of enrolment or through postal ballot or through specially-setup polling stations at Jammu, Udhampur, Delhi, etc.
It further clarified that there is no change in rules regarding buying of property and jobs in the government of J-K and have no link to the representation of voters or otherwise.
The order stated that summary revision of electoral rolls is undertaken by Election Commission from time to time according to the laid down process. “This is to enable young persons who become eligible to register themselves as voters. Besides, it also allows a person who has changed his ordinary place of residence to enroll at new location by getting himself deleted at the old location,” it read, as per the report.
It further said that the number of electors as published in a special summary revision of J-K in 2011 was 66,00,921 and it has now increased to 76,02,397. “This increase is mainly due to the new voters, who attained the age of 18 years.”
The administration refuted media reports which claimed that more than 25 lakh additions will be there in the electoral rolls once the process of electoral roll revision starts.
“This is a misrepresentation of facts, which is being spread by the vested interests. This revision of electoral rolls will cover existing residents of the UT of J&K and increase in numbers will be of the voters who have attained the age of 18 years as on 1.10.2022 or earlier,” it said, as per the report.
