Mehbooba Mufti stages protest against alleged poll rigging in Rajouri-Anantnag

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 6 voting: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP) matriarch Mehbooba Mufti on May 25 (Saturday) alleged that her party workers and polling agents are being detained in the police stations "without any reason". Mufti, whose party was in alliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) between 2015 and 2018, claimed that complaints regarding the efforts to "tamper the Electronic Voting Machines" are being received.

WION could not independently verify Mufti's claims.

Mehbooba Mufti, who is a candidate from Anantnag–Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in South Kashmir where voting is currently underway, is sitting on a protest along with party leaders and workers at the time of filing this report.

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The PDP president also claimed that outgoing calls on her mobile number have been suspended without any explanation.

"I am not able to make any calls since morning. There is no explanation for this sudden suspension of services on the day of polling in the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency," Mehbooba Mufti told Press Trust of India.

The PDP also flagged the issue in a post on X.

"Just ahead of the polls, Ms. Mehbooba Mufti's @MehboobaMufti cellular phone service has been abruptly snapped. Yesterday evening and in the early hours today, scores of PDP workers and polling agents were detained across polling belt," the PDP wrote.

On Friday, Mehbooba Mufti had written to the Election Commission claiming that PDP workers and polling agents were detained by police.

"Many of our PDP polling agents & workers are being detained just before voting. When the families went to the police stations they are being told that it's being done at the behest of SSP Anantnag & DIG South Kashmir. We've written to @ECISVEEP hoping for their timely intervention," the PDP chiefsaid in a post on X.

The Anantnag Police, however, said that detentions are very few and restricted only to the ones against whom there arecredible inputs of potential threats to law and order and security on polling day.

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“Claims were made by a political party that their workers have been detained. Firstly, detentions are very few & restricted only to those who have a tainted past and based on credible inputs of potential threats to law and order & security on polling day. Mostly they are OGWS & are taken into preventive custody for ensuring a safe & peaceful election,” the Anantnag Police wrote.

Mehbooba Mufti is contesting against National Conference (NC) candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad. Zafar Iqbal Manhas of the Apni Party is also contesting the polls, making the contest a triangular fight.

In the first general elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, the voting has already concluded on the seats of Jammu, Baramulla, Srinagar and Udhampur.

(With inputs from agencies)