AIKS urges EC to include Kashmiri Pandits in voters list for civic polls

The All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) today appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to direct the authorities concerned to include Kashmiri Pandits in voters list for the forthcoming Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a meeting here, the members of AIKS flayed the state government for "denying" the community their democratic right.

"The AIKS appeals to the election authority of J&K and the Election Commission of India to direct the authorities concerned to include Kashmiri Pandits in voters list immediately," said Col Tej Tikoo, the president of AIKS.

This concern was also raised by various organisations such as All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), All Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC), All India Kashmiri Pandit Conference (AIKPC), Panun Kashmir, Youth All India Kashmir Samaj (YAIKS), Vishwa Kashmiri Pandit Samiti (VKPS).

They have urged Governor N N Vohra to intervene in the matter.

The municipal elections were last conducted in January-February 2005 and the elected bodies had completed their five-year term in March 2010.