By Arul Louis United Nations, Aug 20 : It is essential to ensure that everyone feel that they are “fairly represented” according to the UN spokesperson has stated in the wake of the Jammu and Kashmir election chief’s announcement that Indian citizens “ordinarily” reside in the union territory are able to vote in the elections.
“The principal principle we adhered to was that in any dispute, it’s crucial to ensure that the members of all of those involved feel they are treated fairly and represented fairly,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Spokesperson deputy Farhan Haq said on Friday.
But, he also said that the announcement “would require further study”.
The spokesperson made these remarks in response to an Chinese government media reporter’s query, saying that the announcement had “sparked fear and anger” that it was an attempt to alter the demographics of the territory of the union “which is in reality a predominantly Muslim region”.
The reporter also said the right to vote would be granted to “any Indian citizens temporarily living there”.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar has said that only people “ordinarily living” there are eligible to vote.
In the wake of the repeal of Article 370 that gave Jammu and Kashmir a special status in August of 2019 The laws and regulations applicable to the remainder of India are in force.
So in the same way as in the case of the rest of India, Indian citizens who live in Kashmir in a different way from visitors are eligible to vote in Kashmir.
The decision is controversial with certain Kashmiri politicians strongly opposed to it.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that the aim “is evidently to influence the outcome of elections and “to disable locals”.
An Islamist terrorist group, the Resistant Front, has threatened to strike all non-Kashmiris in the state.
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