The high Kashmiri political leaders on Wednesday stated that permitting non-locals to vote within the upcoming elections in J&K might be disastrous and can tilt the stability in favor of the BJP.

Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah stated that now BJP must import voters to win seats within the UT.

“Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats? None of these things will help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise,” Omar tweeted.

Peoples Conference chairman and former minister Sajjad Lone stated that permitting non-locals to vote in meeting elections might be as disastrous as 1987 rigging.

Reacting to the assertion of the Chief Electoral Officer of J&K that each citizen of the nation staying in J&K can have voting rights within the meeting elections, Lone stated that such a step can be a replay of 1987.

Taking to microblogging platform Twitter, Sajad stated, “This is dangerous. I don’t know what they want to achieve. This is much more than mischief. Democracy is a relic, especially in the context of Kashmir. Please remember 1987. We are yet to come out of that. Don’t replay 1987. It will be as disastrous.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti termed this decision as egregious gerrymandering to tilt the balance in the favor of the BJP.

“The GoIs decision to defer polls in J&K preceded by egregious gerrymandering tilting the balance in BJP’s favor & now allowing non-locals to vote is obviously to influence election results. The real aim is to continue ruling J&K with an iron fist to disempower locals,” Mufti tweeted.

The BJP, nevertheless, welcomed the choice and termed it a fantastic step by the Election Commission of India (ECI). “For giving voting rights in assembly polls to non-local labourers, or those who have come for studies, and those here for security purposes, this is a great step by the ECI. Unfortunately, regional parties are feeling the heat of the real democracy,” BJP state party Altaf Thakur said.

Jammu J&K’s chief electoral officer Hirdesh Kumar during a press conference today said that non-locals working in Kashmir can vote in J&K, only they have to cancel votes in their native states. “After the abrogation of Article 370, many new voters can add their names in the list who are temporarily living in J&K and working here as labourers, students or people doing business here.”

After the contemporary delimitation, the variety of seats within the J&K legislative meeting has elevated to 90. Fresh seven seats have been added throughout the delimitation train, six in Jammu division and one in Kashmir division. The leaders of main political events in J&K blamed the delimitation fee for serving to the BJP. After the contemporary delimitation train, the method for holding elections within the UT has begun and the ultimate electoral rolls might be printed on November 25.