Elaborate security cover for coming DDC elections in J&K

IGP Kashmir range Vijay Kumar on Thursday told the media that elaborate security has been put in place for the coming District Development Council (DDC) elections and also panchayats and urban local body bypolls.

He said that the security grid is ready to combat any terrorist threat to the polls and the candidates contesting these elections.

Vijay Kumar said they have held several rounds of meetings with other security agencies to ensure trouble-free and peaceful polls which would be held in several phases in the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Union government has already dispatched more than sixty additional companies of paramilitary forces comprising CRPF, BSF, CISF and SSB to be in Jammu and Kashmir to provide security cover to these elections.

Already there are many additional paramilitary troops stationed in Kashmir Valley since the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019.

Many candidates who are contesting these elections especially those who are with PAGD have alleged that they were not being allowed to campaign due to the security threat.

Both Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti through their tweets have claimed that the government was allowing BJP and JK Apni Party candidates to campaign and not allowing PAGD candidates to level the playing field to meet people during the campaign.

The Central government after the recent amendments to the Panchayati Raj Act has decided to hold the DDC polls for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir to give people a chance to have their elected members in every district to make decisions about the development projects and other such activities.