Addition of 25 lakh voters mainly includes existing residents: J-K Govt

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday clarified that the addition of 25 lakh voters by outsiders is a misrepresentation of facts and said that revision of electoral rolls will cover existing residents of the UT of J&K and the increase in numbers will be of the voters who have attained the age of 18.

The statement issued by J&K Government also said, “There have been media reports that more than 25 lakh additions will be there in the electoral rolls once the process of electoral roll revision starts. This is a misrepresentation of facts, which is being spread by vested interests. This revision of electoral rolls will cover existing residents of the UT of J&K and increase in numbers will be of the voters who have attained the age of 18 years as on 1.10.2022 or earlier.”

The statement also said that “Summary revision of electoral rolls are undertaken by Election Commission from time to time according to laid down process. This is to enable young persons who become eligible to register themselves as voters. Besides, it also allows a person who has changed his ordinary place of residence to enrol at a new location by getting himself deleted at the old location,” the statement said.

It added, “Number of Electors as published in Special Summary Revision of J&K State in 2011 was 66,00,921 and the number of electors as on today in the electoral roll of J&K UT is 76,02,397. This increase is mainly due to the new voters, who attained the age of 18 years.”

The statement issued by J&K Govt also reads, “There is no change in the special provisions for Kashmiri migrants for their enrolment in the electoral rolls of their original native constituencies. They will continue to be given the option of voting at their place of enrolment or through postal ballot or through specially set up polling stations at Jammu, Udhampur, Delhi, etc.”

It is further clarified that there is no change in rules regarding buying of property and jobs in the Government of UT of J&K and have no link to the representation of voters or otherwise, it reads.

The statement of the CEO has created controversy in J&K with residents of J&K apprehensive about the addition of 25 lakh outsider voters in J&K.