EC gives Farooq clean chit

SRINAGAR, SEPT 17: The Election Commission today gave a clean chit to the Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for his remarks that the people ...

SRINAGAR, SEPT 17: The Election Commission today gave a clean chit to the Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for his remarks that the people will be forced to come out to vote even as the District Election Officer, Baramulla said that the inquiry is still under process.

The Chief Electoral Officer, S V Bhave had ordered an inquiry after he received a direction from the Election Commission to investigate the chief minister8217;s remarks besides the off-loading of passenger vehicles by the State Police to make locals forcibly attend his rally. The EC had also sought a report from its observers in the constituency.

Interestingly, the inquiry turned out to be an exercise in passing the buck from one officer to another as the State Government officials are reluctant to annoy the ruling party. They fear reprisals by the State Government after the elections are over.

The Chief Electoral officer, S V Bhave had asked the district election officer, Sheikh Mohammad Hussain to conduct the inquiry. Hussain, who is also thedeputy commissioner of Baramulla district, deputed Chief Education Officer, Ghulam Mohammad Malik to Pattan and Tangmarg to investigate the matter. Malik also passed the buck and asked the zonal magistrate, Pattan, Abdul Majeed to inquire. Majeed, who is an agriculture officer finally gave a clean chit to the chief minister saying that neither had he uttered any such remark during the speech nor did the police use force to make people attend CM8217;s rally.

8220;Once I was told to conduct the inquiry. I went to the spot but could not talk to anybody as the villagers were scared. I then met the Zonal Magistrate, Abdul Majeed, who is also Chief Agriculture officer. He told me that no such thing had happened during the CM8217;s rally,8221; Malik told The Indian Express. 8220;I reported to the District Election Officer where I quoted the zonal magistrate,8221; he said. The zonal magistrate, Abdul Majeed, however, was not available for any comments.

The Chief Electoral Officer, however, in a statement released late thisevening, said that he has found that the Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has not made any such specific remarks. Quoting, two among the four observers deputed by the EC, he said, 8220;They told me that the speech that was in Kashmiri which was simultaneously being translated to them and that they did not find any such remark in CM8217;s speech8221;. Bhave claimed the security forces were engaged in frisking of the people and did not force them to attend the rally.

Meanwhile, in separate statement, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today denied to have said that the Government will use force to bring out voters saying, 8220; the voters are free to vote for whomsoever they wish; why should anybody stop them, threaten them or force them not to vote at gun point8221;.

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Citing the example of the first phase of polls in Srinagar constituency, Farooq said, 8220;We have not employed any force during the first phase of elections in Srinagar, why should we do it now8221;. He added, 8220;Pakistan does not want the people of Kashmir toparticipate in democratic process and their lackeys are harassing the people by issuing threatening letters and pasting posters outside mosques so that Kashmir does not have peaceful polls8221;.

Muzamil Jaleel

Muzamil Jaleel is a Deputy Editor at The Indian Express and is widely recognized as one of India’s most authoritative voices on Jammu & Kashmir, national security, and internal affairs. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has provided definitive on-the-ground reportage from the heart of the Kashmir conflict, bearing witness to historic political transitions and constitutional shifts. Expertise and Investigative Depth Muzamil’s work is characterized by a rare combination of ground-level immersion and high-level constitutional analysis. His expertise includes: Conflict & Geopolitics: Decades of reporting on the evolution of the Kashmir conflict, the Indo-Pak peace process, and the socio-political dynamics of the Himalayan region. Constitutional Law: Deep-dive analysis of Article 370 and Article 35A, providing clarity on the legal and demographic implications of their abrogation in 2019. Human Rights & Accountability: A relentless investigator of state and non-state actors, uncovering systemic abuses including fake encounters and the custodial death of political workers. International War Reporting: Beyond South Asia, he provided on-the-spot coverage of the final, decisive phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Landmark Exposés & Impact Muzamil’s reporting has repeatedly forced institutional accountability and shaped national discourse: The Kashmir Sex Scandal (2006): His investigative series exposed a high-profile exploitation nexus involving top politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers, leading to the sacking and arrest of several senior officials. Fake Encounters: His reports blew the lid off cases where innocent civilians were passed off as "foreign terrorists" by security forces for gallantry awards. SIMI Investigations: He conducted a massive deep-dive into the arrests of SIMI members, using public records to show how innocuous religious gatherings were often labeled as incriminating activities by investigative agencies. The Amarnath Land Row: Provided critical context to the 2008 agitation that polarized the region and altered its political trajectory. Over the years, Muzamil has also covered 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhuj earthquake, assembly elections in Bihar for Indian Express. He has also reported the peace process in Northern Ireland, war in Sri Lanka and national elections in Pakistan for the paper. Awards and Fellowships His "Journalism of Courage" has been honored with the industry's most prestigious accolades: Four Ramnath Goenka Awards: Recognized for J&K Reportage (2007), On-the-Spot Reporting (2009), and Reporting on Politics and Government (2012, 2017). Kurt Schork Award: From Columbia University for international journalism. Sanskriti Award: For excellence in Indian journalism and literature. IFJ Tolerance Prize: For his empathetic and nuanced reporting in South Asia. International Fellowships: Served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and worked with The Guardian, The Observer, and The Times in London. He has also received Chevening fellowship and a fellowship at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands. Professional Presence Current Location: New Delhi (formerly Bureau Chief, Srinagar). Education: Master’s in Journalism from Kashmir University. Social Media: Follow him for field insights and rigorous analysis on X (Twitter) @MuzamilJALEEL. ... Read More