Jammu and Kashmir: Voting underway for first phase of Panchayat polls amid boycott calls

Voting is underway for the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir amid calls for a boycott by political parties. Polling will be held in six districts of the Kashmir Valley, two in Ladakh and seven districts in the Jammu region. 427 candidates are in the fray for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards for the first phase of the Panchayat polls. 

The National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the CPI(M) have announced that they will stay away from the elections. 

Jammu & Kashmir: Voting underway for the first phase of Panchayat elections; Visuals from polling stations in Ganderbal (pic 1) and Budgam (pic 2&3) pic.twitter.com/cfa8RUEHm3

— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The NC, which earlier boycotted the municipal and panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, however, called for Assembly polls saying it would fight that election to prevent the BJP from "installing its proxies via the backdoor".

"The (NC) working committee decided to stay away from polls was limited to ULB (urban local body) and panchayat elections. The decision had nothing to do with the assembly or Parliament elections. We will fight to win the forthcoming elections so as to defend Article 35 A/Article 370 and to prevent the BJP from installing its proxies via the backdoor as they have started doing," said party provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani.

Jammu & Kashmir: Voting is underway for the first phase of Panchayat polls; Visuals from a polling station in Rajouri's district's Manjakote pic.twitter.com/VxcenlaPTs

— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018

The NC leader said the party took a stand to stay away from the municipal and panchayat elections in wake of the "vacillating approach" of the Centre towards Article 35A and Article 370. "We have already requested (J&K) Governor S P Malik to plead for the deferment on next hearing of Article 35A in the Supreme Court till the formation of a popular government in the state. And, he has principally agreed to our suggestion."

The PDP and the CPI(M) have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court. While separatists have called for a boycott of the polls, militants have threatened to target anyone taking part in these elections.