Open Letter To President Kovind Asks J And K BDC Elections To Be Postponed thewire.in

Most political parties in the state, apart from the BJP, have announced that they will boycott the elections.
A group of citizens have written to President Ram Nath Kovind asking him to postpone the block development council (BDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir – scheduled for Thursday – in view of the “unprecedented socio-economic situation in the state” after the dilution of Article 370.

Most political parties in the state, apart from the BJP, have announced that they will boycott the elections. “Clearly, the grounds for free and fair elections do not exist in the state,” the 260 signatories say in the letter. Among those who have signed the letter are Akeel Bilgrami, Apoorvanand, Aruna Roy, Ayesha Kidwai, Badri Raina, Bezwada Wilson, Harsh Mander, Jayati Ghosh, Jean Dreze, Vice Air Marshal (Retired) Kapil Kak, Medha Patkar; 17, Nandini Sundar, Nikhil Dey, P. Sainath, Prashant Bhushan, Shabnam Hashmi, Shanta Sinha, Syeda Hameed and Swami Agnivesh.

In the letter, the citizens expressed “grave concern about both the intent and timing of this decision”, saying it “undermines both democracy and the electoral process”. The Kashmir valley has been under lockdown, with restrictions on movement and communication, since August 5, when the Centre decided to dilute Article 370 and revoke the state’s special status. It will be bifurcated in two Union Territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh – on October 31.