JAMMU: A Kashmiri Pandit organization on Friday lauded the Election Commission's move to do away with the requirement of filing 'Form M' for displaced Kashmiri voters ahead of the parliamentary elections and urged the community to turn out in large numbers for the elections. .
Speaking to reporters, Youth All India Kashmiri Sama (YAIKS) president RK Bhatt said the Form M process was the biggest hurdle in migrant vote share, resulting in low turnout in the elections.
Fulfilling a long-standing demand and making changes to the existing voting scheme for displaced people, the Election Commission on April 11 announced that Kashmir migrants from Jammu and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir will now be required to file 'Form M' There will be no need to fill. Cast your vote.
Instead, they will be mapped with particular polling stations that fall in the areas where they are registered or reside, the election panel had said.
Earlier, it was mandatory for displaced voters from the valley to fill the form before every parliamentary and assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.Additionally, the Commission also eased the process of filing Form M by migrants living in Delhi and other places in the country, by allowing self-attestation instead of the earlier required authentication by Gazetted officers.
Bha said, "We welcome the removal of the requirement of filing M-Form for displaced Kashmiri Pandit voters. This decision will facilitate greater participation and higher turnout in elections, thereby making the voice of the community heard."
Highlighting the significance of the move, Bhatt stressed the need for 100 per cent voting in the upcoming parliamentary and assembly elections.
“Our votes are decisive and will decide the outcome of the election,” he said.It is important for the community to show their presence and bring about change through voting.”
Bhatt said that participating in the election process and casting vote is the victory of democracy and defeat of separatist forces.
Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory will be held in five phases. The first phase of voting took place on Udhampur Lok Sabha seat on Friday.
Voting in the remaining constituencies will be held on April 26 (Jammu), May (Anantnag-Rajouri), and May 20 (Baramulla). Counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Bhatt also called for a mechanism to hold elections within the community for the two assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri immigrants.This, he hoped, would allow grassroots leadership to emerge democratically and counter the influence of self-appointed leaders and vested interests.
Last December, the Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, which sought to nominate two members of the Kashmiri migrant community and one member representing displaced persons from PoK to the Legislative Assembly.
YAIKS urged all political parties to include in their manifestos a commitment to help in the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, as well as provide them political representation in the state and central assemblies.
"The entire country is now asking the Center to come up with a comprehensive return and rehabilitation plan for the displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits, who have been away from their motherland for the last 34 years," he said.
He said doing away with the requirement of M-Form is seen as an important step towards facilitating the participation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the electoral process, thereby ensuring that their voices are heard in the democratic dispensation.Announcing the new arrangement, the Election Commission had said that it had made suitable changes to the existing scheme of voting by Kashmiri migrants at the special polling station as part of its ongoing efforts to make electoral participation more inclusive and hassle-free for all sections of the society. Have ordered.
A release said the revised arrangement envisages mapping of all 22 special polling stations - 21 in Jammu and one in Udhampur - into 2 zones - 20 in Jammu and one in Udhampur - individually, ensuring that Any area has at least one special polling station.
Speaking to reporters, Youth All India Kashmiri Sama (YAIKS) president RK Bhatt said the Form M process was the biggest hurdle in migrant vote share, resulting in low turnout in the elections.
Fulfilling a long-standing demand and making changes to the existing voting scheme for displaced people, the Election Commission on April 11 announced that Kashmir migrants from Jammu and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir will now be required to file 'Form M' There will be no need to fill. Cast your vote.
Instead, they will be mapped with particular polling stations that fall in the areas where they are registered or reside, the election panel had said.
Earlier, it was mandatory for displaced voters from the valley to fill the form before every parliamentary and assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.Additionally, the Commission also eased the process of filing Form M by migrants living in Delhi and other places in the country, by allowing self-attestation instead of the earlier required authentication by Gazetted officers.
Bha said, "We welcome the removal of the requirement of filing M-Form for displaced Kashmiri Pandit voters. This decision will facilitate greater participation and higher turnout in elections, thereby making the voice of the community heard."
Highlighting the significance of the move, Bhatt stressed the need for 100 per cent voting in the upcoming parliamentary and assembly elections.
“Our votes are decisive and will decide the outcome of the election,” he said.It is important for the community to show their presence and bring about change through voting.”
Bhatt said that participating in the election process and casting vote is the victory of democracy and defeat of separatist forces.
Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory will be held in five phases. The first phase of voting took place on Udhampur Lok Sabha seat on Friday.
Voting in the remaining constituencies will be held on April 26 (Jammu), May (Anantnag-Rajouri), and May 20 (Baramulla). Counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Bhatt also called for a mechanism to hold elections within the community for the two assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri immigrants.This, he hoped, would allow grassroots leadership to emerge democratically and counter the influence of self-appointed leaders and vested interests.
Last December, the Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, which sought to nominate two members of the Kashmiri migrant community and one member representing displaced persons from PoK to the Legislative Assembly.
YAIKS urged all political parties to include in their manifestos a commitment to help in the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, as well as provide them political representation in the state and central assemblies.
"The entire country is now asking the Center to come up with a comprehensive return and rehabilitation plan for the displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits, who have been away from their motherland for the last 34 years," he said.
He said doing away with the requirement of M-Form is seen as an important step towards facilitating the participation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the electoral process, thereby ensuring that their voices are heard in the democratic dispensation.Announcing the new arrangement, the Election Commission had said that it had made suitable changes to the existing scheme of voting by Kashmiri migrants at the special polling station as part of its ongoing efforts to make electoral participation more inclusive and hassle-free for all sections of the society. Have ordered.
A release said the revised arrangement envisages mapping of all 22 special polling stations - 21 in Jammu and one in Udhampur - into 2 zones - 20 in Jammu and one in Udhampur - individually, ensuring that Any area has at least one special polling station.