Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti claimed Friday that her party's polling agents and workers are being summoned to police stations ahead of Saturday's Lok Sabha elections. Mehbooba is running for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, which votes today.
“PDP polling agents and workers are being asked to report to local police stations. Why are the people of South Kashmir being punished for showing their faith in democracy?” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister posted on X.
The PDP has called for urgent intervention from the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. In a letter to the chief election commissioner, the party expressed concern over "a grave matter that threatens the integrity" of the polls.
“It has come to our notice that the police in Anantnag, Shopian, and Kulgam have initiated a campaign of terror against our polling agents from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP). From this (Friday) evening, numerous polling agents have been either forcibly taken from their residences or summoned to police stations, where they are being held in illegal confinement,” the letter stated.
The party alleged that workers, particularly in Anantnag district, are being "threatened and harassed" to deter them from voting.
“This systematic targeting of PDP polling agents suggests a deliberate attempt by the state administration, acting at the behest of candidates contesting as proxies for the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), to undermine the democratic process and ensure our defeat,” the PDP alleged.
The PDP urged the commission to instruct the state police to release all detained polling agents and ensure no further "hindrances" by the state administration that could affect the elections.
