PDP's Anantnag candidate urges EC to defer by-poll to seat

PDP candidate from Anantnag, Tasaduq Mufti, today appealed to the Election Commission to postpone the Lok Sabha by-poll to the constituency in view of the large-scale violence during the polling in Srinagar.
"I appeal to the EC to postpone the elections to a later favourable date," Mufti told reporters here.
Anantnag constituency, spread over four districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag, is scheduled to go to polls on Wednesday.
Mufti said the state government had written to the poll panel from time to time that the situation was not conducive for holding elections in Kashmir at the moment.
Asked whether he would withdraw from the contest if the EC rejected his appeal, Mufti said: "I will withdraw if that helps the cause."

Eight people were yesterday killed in firing by security forces as unprecedented election-day violence marred the by-poll for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat which saw the voter turnout plunge to an all-time low of 7.14 per cent.