The image of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti lifting the veil off a voter in a polling booth in Srinagar on April 26 was broadcast on TV as a ‘‘courageous step’’ to detect fraud in the elections. That may backfire.For, that voter was a genuine voter, Shabnum of Malteng locality of Sonwar. Her name figures at Serial Number 1340, Ward No 2 of the Srinagar Municipality and because of this spectacle, she could not even cast her vote.But that’s not the only reason she has to complain. Speaking to The Indian Express today, she said: ‘‘By lifting my veil, she has put me and my family’s life to risk. You know what it means to cast a vote in Kashmir.’’Her family’s fears are not without basis—they had lost their son, Showkat Gilkar, in violence in 1990.The state Election Commission is considering action against Mehbooba for ‘‘infringing’’ on a voter’s right and storming a polling booth alongwith her security guards.Said Khawaja Bashir Ahmad, Budgam’s deputy commissioner, who is the returning officer for Srinagar constituency: ‘‘I will consult the law and accordingly see what action needs to be taken. Give me a day.’’State Election Commissioner B L Nimesh sidestepped the controversy saying ‘‘the returning officer, Srinagar constituency, would be in a better position to tell you about that.’’Despite repeated attempts, Mehbooba was unavailable for comment. But a nervous Shabnum told The Indian Express that when she went to cast her vote at the Burn Hall School polling booth, Mehbooba and her guards barged in.‘‘She shouted at me and my relative and asked how much money Yasin Shah (MLA Sonwar) had given them to cast votes. When I showed my voter slip, she pulled down my burka and asked her guards to arrest me. The polling staff felt helpless. We felt it better to leave without casting our votes,’’ she said.Married to Showkat, a Government employee, Shabnum lives in the neighbourhood of NC president Omar Abdullah’s Gupkar Road residence.Her name, in fact, figures next to the Farooq Abdullah’s daughters Sarah and Henna on the voter list which has 983 names enlisted for three localities of Gupkar Road, Malteng and Durga Nag.Meanwhile, NC president Omar Abdullah has also lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission. ‘‘I have written and handed over the tape where she (Mehbooba) is lifting the veil of the woman. It is now up to them what action they take,’’ he said.
