Anantnag bypoll deferred, will be held on May 25

A security personnel stands guard outside a polling booth in Srinagar. Violence marred the by-election for the Lok Sabha seat. Eight people were killed and several others were injured, including security personnel. 

A day after violence in Srinagar killed eight civilians and injured several others, the Election Commission on Monday deferred the bypoll for the Anantnag seat to May 25. Anantnag constituency, spread over four districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag, was earlier scheduled to go to polls on April 12.

Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti’s brother and PDP candidate from Anantnag, Tasaduq Mufti appealed to the Election Commission to postpone the bypoll. “I appeal to the EC to postpone the elections to a later favourable date,” Mufti told reporters in Srinagar. When asked if he would withdraw his candidature if the poll panel rejects his appeal, he said: “I will withdraw if that helps the cause.”

Former state chief minister Omar Abdullah hit out at the Mufti government saying her brother’s comments shows its “abject failure” in maintaining law and order. “Tassaduq’s statement is an indictment of his sister @MehboobaMufti’s government and its abject failure. How can the BJP not see this (sic),” he wrote on Twitter. Abdullah added that though the EC has the power to countermand the by-election in Anantnag, Mufti must resign and Governor N N Vohra must take charge.

On Sunday, eight people died in clashes with security forces as violence marred by-election for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. The voter turnout plunged to an all-time low of 7.14 per cent.