36 candidates in J-K first phase Assembly polls face criminal cases

SRINAGAR — As many as 36 candidates in the fray for the first phase of the Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir have declared criminal cases against them, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Friday in its report.

In its report, the ADR said that out of 219 candidates in the fray for the first phase of polls in the Union Territory, 36 (16%) have declared criminal cases against them.

It said that 25 (11%) have declared serious criminal charges against them. Of them, four candidates have declared attempted murder cases are registered against them.

As per the report, two candidates have declared that cases related to women are registered against them. Of them, one has declared that a case related to rape is registered against him.

As per the ADR report, 23 cases are registered against Anwar Jan, who is fighting as an Independent candidate from Kokernag seat. Anwar is the candidate of Er Rashid-led Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) but like other candidates of the party, he is fighting independently as the party is yet to be registered with the Election Commission of India.

Interestingly, all candidates of major political parties in Kokernag, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribe, have criminal cases against them.

Mehboob Iqbal of National Conference, who is fighting from Bhaderwah seat of Doda district, has declared that six cases are registered against him, the report reveals.

The report further states that six cases are registered against Mehraj Malik of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP from Doda seat.

Three cases each are registered against Haroon Rashid Khatana (PDP-Kokernag seat), Muhammad Waqar (Apni Party-Kokernag), Shafqat Mir (Aam Admi Party-Dooru) and Abdul Majeed Khan (Bhim Sena-Shangus Anantnag East).