Uncertainty looms over Anantnag bypoll

Uncertainty is looming large over parliamentary bypolls in violence-hit Anantnag as the Centre has agreed to spare 30,000 central paramilitary personnel, which is not even half of the Election Commission’s (EC) demand for 73,000 personnel that it needed for security arrangements.

The EC is yet to take a view on the Union Home Ministry’s offer.

Earlier, the EC was forced to defer the by-polls scheduled for April 12 to May 25 after it witnessed the lowest-ever voter turnout of 7 per cent in violence-hit Srinagar on April 9, where eight stone-pelting protesters were killed by the forces.

The 300 companies (30,000 personnel) of central armed police forces (CAPFs) are in addition to the 54 companies (5,400 personnel) that are already deployed in Anantnag.  Union Home Ministry sources said that taking out even 30,000 personnel was a tough task as the EC did not want any local units stationed in the state to be deployed for poll duty.

The EC is expected to take a view on the matter after holding parleys with its administrative staff, the local administration and the security apparatus. Government sources, however, said the likelihood of holding the bypolls is bleak as the security situation in South Kashmir is not yet conducive and more time may be required for things to settle down.  

The political parties, especially the ruling PDP that had earlier threatened to withdraw its candidature from Anantnag if the polls were not postponed, are yet to begin canvassing there.