Anger in Kashmir over inclusion of non-local voters on electoral rolls

People walk along a street near a closed market in Srinagar, the largest city in Jammu and Kashmir, India, on June 17, 2022. AFP - TAUSEEF MUSTAFA

An alliance of political parties from Kashmir is holding an all-party meeting to discuss the issue of inclusion of non-local voters in the revised electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir. The political parties are concerned that the inclusion of 2.5 million new voters in the Muslim-majority region will permanently disenfranchise Kashmiris.

The National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the two main Kashmiri outfits, claimed the administration has not addressed their main concern on whether “outsiders” ordinarily residing in Jammu and Kashmir will be allowed to enrol as voters.