Mehbooba Mufti alleges curbs imposed in Pulwama to derail her Lok Sabha campaign
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday claimed that Section 144 was imposed in Pulwama district two days ahead of Lok Sabha polls and that her party workers were detained by the local administration.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also accused the authorities of “fixing” the polls by harassing and detaining her party workers in Pulwama, which will go to polls on May 13.
“Section 144 has been imposed in Pulwama district, which is unprecedented. It has not happened before. Restrictions are imposed where the elections are to take place and that too till the time of the conclusion of polls,” Mufti said while addressing a presser in Srinagar.
Mufti also accused the local administration of trying to repeat the fate of the 1987 elections, which were allegedly rigged and considered the trigger for violence in the valley.
She said that the main aim behind the detention of her party workers was to derail her Lok Sabha campaign.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner (DC)/ District Magistrate (DM) of Pulwama called the imposition of Section 144 a routine order aimed at maintaining law and order in the district.
“ECI guidelines mandate specific SOPs for the last 72 hours and last 48 hours. Under Section 126 and Section 130 of Representation of People’s Act 1951 and SOPs edition 2 Para 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3 mandate issuing of Order under Section 144 CrPC. Such orders have been issued by other districts also who went to polls/ are going to polls,” a post from DC Pulwama’s X handle said.
“The restrictions apply to specific activities related to campaign etc, being silent period. Restrictions relate to only specified points in order and not general restrictions,” it added.
Notably, Pulwama is part of Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat where Mufti is pitted in a triangular fight against National Conference’s (NC) Mian Altaf and the Apni Party’s Zaffar Iqbal Manhas.
Pulwama, as part of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, will go into polls on May 13 in the fourth phase.