Revenue officials in the Jammu district have been directed to grant residence certificates to those living there for over a year to facilitate their inclusion in the electoral roll, prompting former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to call it a blow to the region’s culture, identity, employment, and business. In a tweet, Mufti said the directive issued late on Tuesday makes it clear that the “colonial settler project” has been initiated in Jammu.
Deputy commissioner Avny Lavasa issued the directive months after a proposed addition of 2.5 million names to the roll in Jammu & Kashmir triggered a political row with local parties saying it was a ploy to alter the region’s demographics. The government dismissed the allegations that “outsiders” will influence electoral outcomes.
On August 17, Chief electoral officer Hirdesh Kumar Singh told reporters that the ongoing special summary revision of the roll as part of preparations for the region’s first assembly election in eight years was likely to add around 2.5 million voters. He said the jump was because the exercise was being held after three years and will allow the inclusion of “ordinary residents” and not just permanent residents in the roll. The region’s special status, which was scrapped in 2019, did not allow this. On September 6, Singh convened an all-party meeting to allay fears.
Lavasa, who is also the district election officer, passed the directive after taking note of complaints that some eligible applicants faced hardships in registration as voters due to the non-availability of the required documents.
{{/usCountry}}Lavasa, who is also the district election officer, passed the directive after taking note of complaints that some eligible applicants faced hardships in registration as voters due to the non-availability of the required documents.
{{/usCountry}}The eligible residents will have to produce water/electricity bills, Aadhaar cards, passbooks, passports, land-owning records, rent/lease agreements, and sale deeds to register as voters. In case residents do not have any documents to establish that they have been residing in Jammu for over a year, the officials have been asked to carry out field verifications.
“...categories like homeless Indian citizens who are otherwise eligible to become electors but do not possess any documentary proof of ordinary residence, electoral registration officers shall designate an officer for field verification...,” the order said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M Y Tarigami last week announced the formation of a 14-member panel for chalking out a strategy against the inclusion of non-locals in the roll.
National Conference Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi has been named the convenor of the panel, which will also include Congress’s Raman Bhalla.
The final electoral roll is expected to be published on November 25. Any person attaining the age of 18 on or before October 1, who is otherwise qualified to be enrolled as an elector, can apply for registration during this special summary revision.