Jammu: In a bid to encourage migrant Kashmiri voters to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has opened up various avenues like the digital platform, setting up special polling stations and allowing postal ballots.
A scheme was earlier devised to help the Kashmiri migrant population living in various parts of the country to vote during elections to the legislative assembly in September-October 2002 and the general elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014, a notification said.
Although rules do not expressly provide setting up of polling stations outside the territorial jurisdiction of a constituency, Section 36-A of the Jammu & Kashmir Representation of People Act, 1957 makes provision of setting up such polling stations outside the territorial jurisdiction of the constituency, it said.
The Election Commission, after taking into consideration the success of this scheme has decided to extend it for the general elections scheduled to be held in April-May, 2019, the notification said.
According to the notification, the Kashmiri migrants whose names are registered in any of the three parliamentary constituencies in Kashmir province–Baramulla, Anantnag, Srinagar–can cast their votes at special polling stations set up at Delhi, Jammu and Udhampur.
Similarly the migrants living far away from the camps can also vote by post according to Section 60(c) of the Jammu & Kashmir Representation of People Act, 1957 to be read with 27A(b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, it said. “… the Election Commission has advised the migrant voters to send their Form-M for voting in person at any of ‘special polling stations’ or form-12-C for using postal ballot to the Assistant Returning Officers concerned so as to reach them on or 10 days before the date of poll separately for each phase of the polling,” the notification said.
Notice to BJP member for sharing Main Bhi Chowkidar Hun video
The Election Commission Wednesday issued a show cause notice to a member of the BJP’s National Election Committee for sharing an audio-visual advertisement titled “Main Bhi Chowkidar Hun” on social media without complying with the directions of the poll body, an official said.
He said Neeraj has been directed to submit a reply within three days. The poll body’s Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) had issued a certificate dated March 16 to Neeraj “in respect of the said advertisement subject to the exclusion of the clips depicting Army personnel”, Delhi’s chief electoral office said. On March 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar Hun’ campaign by putting out a tweet, “Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar.”
EC seeks comments from makers of PM’s biopic
The Election Commission has sought comments from the makers of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Opposition’s demand to postpone its release till the Lok Sabha elections get over. The film is slated for release on April 5. The Delhi chief electoral officer had already issued a notice to the producers in this regard. “Since parties had approached the EC, it will also issue a notice,” a functionary said. The poll-body would seek their comments on delaying the release.
Issues of national security do not fall under poll code ambit: EC sources
Issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct, sources in the Election Commission said Wednesday.
They were responding to queries on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of India’s successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability violated the poll code.
“The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met. Decisions taken by it and issues such as disaster management do not fall under the model code of conduct and require no prior nod,” a functionary said. (PTI)
