Allegations of Voter Suppression Surface as Srinagar Polls Kick Off

News Desk 

Srinagar: Voting commenced early Monday for the parliamentary constituency of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir amidst allegations of police arresting political workers to suppress the turnout.

This marks the first significant election in the disputed region since 2019, when the Indian government revoked its political autonomy. Regional political parties have portrayed it as a referendum on New Delhi’s decision.

Approximately 1.75 million eligible voters will participate in casting their ballots for Srinagar, encompassing the capital Srinagar and the rural districts of Ganderbal and Budgam. Elections for the northern Baramulla and southern Anantnag-Rajouri seats will take place on May 20 and 25, respectively.

Waheed-ur-Rahman Parra, a prominent contender from the People’s Democratic Party for the Srinagar constituency, alleged on X that a senior police officer instructed subordinates to “reduce voter turnout by detaining and harassing our workers.”

Parra stated, “Such actions benefit anti-national elements, not India.”

Similar accusations were leveled by former chief minister Omar Abdullah, running for the Baramulla seat, as well as by two political parties — the Apni Party, an ally of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the People’s Conference, which has been accused of being a BJP proxy.

In response, a police statement refuted the allegations, stating that the claims and “political parties’ speculations suggesting that the police have been harassing their party workers at the behest of others are unfounded.”

Simultaneously, polls in Srinagar are being conducted across 10 Indian states and Union Territories for 98 parliamentary seats.