Centre says no to more troops, uncertainty looms over J-K polls

Centre says no to more troops, uncertainty looms over J-K polls
ARUN SHARMA

JAMMU, JAN 1: The peace initiative may have brought hope to violence-ravaged Kashmir, but it has also created uncertainty over the impending panchayat elections to be held in the state from January 15.

Well-placed sources in the state government said the Centre has expressed its inability to provide additional para-military forces for the smooth conduct of panchayat elections, which are being held in the state after a gap of 23 years. The Centre's reluctance is believed to be based on the large-scale security measures required for the forthcoming Kumbh mela at Prayagraj in Allahabad, where lakhs of devotees will take a dip at the holy Sangam on January 24.

They added that the Home Ministry feels a large number of troops have to be deployed at the Kumbh mela in view of the threat from militant outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad. ``However, talks are on with them in this regard. Without guaranteeing anything, they have told us that some 20 companies may be spared for poll duties in the state,'' a senior officer in the state administration said, requesting anonymity.

This came despite the issuance of a poll notification by the Election Authority. The last date for filing of nomination papers for the first phase of polls in Rajouri, Poonch, and Kupwara districts was Saturday.

In case of non-availability of additional forces, sources said the administration may conduct polling in the first phase on schedule but postpone the next phases in militancy-infested areas.

The government had decided to hold panchayat elections, following an assurance of 40 companies of para-military forces and police from the Centre. This assurance had come after a meeting of the state's Director General of Police A.K. Suri with Union Home Ministry officials at Delhi early this month, the sources added.

However, the Centre did a turnabout after the state Cabinet approved the election schedule and the Election Authority also issued the poll notification, setting the election process into motion. The massive electoral exercise, covering 23,000 panch and sarpanch constituencies, will be completed in eight phases by March 16, with polling spread over three to seven days, depending upon the topography of each district. Rajouri, Poonch and Kupwara districts will go to polls in the first phase from January 15, followed by Kathua (January 21), Baramulla and Jammu (February 1), Srinagar and Budgam (February 12), Udhampur (February 10 to March 14), Doda (February 16), Anantnag, Kargil and Leh (March 12-14).

Many counter-insurgency agencies are reported to have told the state government that the time is not conducive for elections. ``Laxity has crept in among our men following the suspension of all counter-insurgency operations after the announcement of the unilateral ceasefire,'' a senior police official admitted, adding: ``We have to launch relentless operations for at least a month to flush out militants.''

Militant outfits have already warned people against participating in the elections. Though the polls are being held on a non-party basis, sources said that at the village level, everyone knows which party a candidate owes allegiance to, adding that threat perception was more in the case of candidates known to be close to the ruling National Conference.

For now, the questions doing the rounds in security and police circles are related to the fate of elected candidates -- how the government will be able to provide security to all of them and how militants will treat them.