PDP urges EC to postpone Anantnag by-polls after schools set ablaze in Pulwama, Shopian

FILE: Remains of the bus that was set ablaze by protestors in Budgam during by-election for the Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary seat on April 9, 2017.

Srinagar: In a bid to obstruct the upcoming Anantnag by-polls, miscreants on Monday set the government schools designated as polling booths on fire.

A Government Middle school in Shopian`s Padarpora was set ablaze by unidentified people today. On Sunday, the Government High School in Pulwama was razed to the ground in a similar manner.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Election Commission to postpone the by-polls in Anantnag.

“April 12th by-polls in Anantnag should be postponed,” said Tasaduq Mufti, the brother of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

PDP candidate Tassaduq Hussain Mufti for south Kashmir's Anantnag parliamentary seat told the EC that the situation in the district was not right to conduct the by-poll.

Meanwhile, security remains tight and the Valley has been turned into a fortress.

Booths have been provided maximum security, with hundreds of troopers deployed at colleges and schools where voting will be held.

Following the escalation of violence on Sunday, Internet services have suspended in entire Kashmir Valley till Anantnag by-polls on April 12.

Apart from this, all Kashmir University exams scheduled to be held-up to the Anatanag by-polls have been postponed.

New dates for the same will be notified separately.

The civilians were killed during clashes with security forces in various areas of central Kashmir`s Budgam district yesterday.

The Srinagar Parliamentary constituency witnessed lowest voter turnout for the by-polls in the wake of the clashes.

(With Agency inputs)