Muslim Mirror Desk

Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get around 25 lakh new voters including non-locals after the special revision of electoral rolls, which were held for the first time after the scrapping of Article 370.

According to the election commission, any Indian citizen, including non-locals, who lives or works in Jammu and Kashmir would be entitled to register to vote and vote in the union territory’s assembly and local body elections. Armed forces can also vote after the implementation of this law.

The announcement by the Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar faced heat from former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. They said that the move will not help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise.

Mehbooba Mufti had said that the BJP was implementing the “strategy of Nazi Germany and Israel here so that they may establish a fascist” as the ruler.

Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference, stated on Monday that all opposition parties are opposed to the new law (which allows non-locals to vote in Jammu and Kashmir) and are considering taking the case to court.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, on Saturday, said that reports of a likely addition of over 25 lakh voters after the summary revision of electoral rolls is “misrepresentation of facts by vested interests”.