Srinagar: The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD an amalgam of several political parties, that rose to fight for the restoration of article 370) is meeting on Saturday to 'discuss' issues over the ongoing voting rights controversy.
Constituents of the conglomerate are meeting tomorrow morning at Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar residence to discuss the future course of action on different issues confronting J&K, sources said.
“The issue of registration of voters is expected to come up in the meeting,” they said, adding that leaders from NC, Peoples Democratic Party, CPI(M), and Awami National Conference would participate in the meeting."
The registration of voters in Jammu & Kashmir has been mired in controversy after then chief electoral officer Hirdesh Kumar said that 20-25 lakh would be added during the revised electoral roll exercise, after 370 abrogation-2019 any Indian resident ordinarily living in J&K including paramilitary forces, nonlocals laborers would be able to vote in assembly elections.
When reactions came from trans-regional parties, the government came up with a 'clarification' through DIPR (Department of Information and Public Relations) stating it means for those who have attained the age of 18 years.
Earlier this week, the J&K government withdrew a circular issued by DC Deputy Commissioner, Jammu authorizing Revenue officials to issue residence certificates to those living in the region for more than one year after J&K-based political parties slammed the directive.
"Opposition parties in Jammu & Kashmir have also set- up a committee comprising senior leaders of different parties to chalk out future strategies regarding the inclusion of non-locals in the revised electoral rolls of J&K."
While National Conference MP Justice ( retired) Hasnain Masoodi has been appointed as its convener, Raman Bhalla, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Rattan Lal Gupta, Hasnain Masoodi, Dr. Mehboob Beg, A S Reen, Gulchain Singh Charak, Chowdhary Lal Singh, Manish Sawhney, Hari Singh, G.M Mizrab, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah and I D Khujuria are its members.
The amalgam comprising two major factions; National Conference and Peoples Democratic party has already held
two meetings over the issue in Jammu and Srinagar.
Moreover, Shiv Sena was part of their first meeting in Srinagar, when they said they will fight legally in the Indian
Courts.
(With KNO Inputs)