Two DDC Constituencies in J&K to go for Re-Poll on Monday

Srinagar, Dec 04 : Two District Development Council (DDC) seats in Jammu Kashmir's
Drugmulla (in Kupwara) and Hajin-A (in Bandipora) will go for re-polls on Monday,
officials said.
The DDC elections took place in Jammu Kashmir in December 2020. However, the counting
of votes was withheld in these two seats — Drugmulla and Hajin-A due to the disputes raised
about the eligibility of two candidates contesting the election who hailed from PoJK..
Later, the state election commission (SEC) declared the polling to these constituencies as
void, cancelling the candidature of Soomia Sadaf and Shazia Aslam, citing wrong
information about the place of birth by the PoK-origin candidates.
Polling will take place between 7 am and 2 pm at 42 polling stations in Drugmulla and at 57
polling stations in Hajin. An official said that the polling staff and polling material have been
dispatched to all the stations, they said.
The DDC constituency of Hajin-A has a total electorate of 15,351 and Drugmulla 32,845.
The election for Hajin—A seat has turned into a prestige battle for
political parties with National Conference and Peoples Conference
leaving no stone unturned to woo voters over the past two weeks.
In the election, NC is supporting Abida Bano, who has filed nomination
papers as an independent candidate. PC has fielded Atiqa Begum, who
is contesting on “apple” symbol.
National Conference and Peoples Conference campaign was led
respectively by Hilal Akbar Lone (son of sitting MP Muhammad Akbar
Lone) and former legislator Yasir Reshi.
Both Lone and Reshi held massive road-shows in different areas of DDC
seat to drum up support for their candidates.
While National Conference has been seeking votes on performance of
Muhammad Akbar Lone, three –time MLA and sitting MP, Peoples
Conference highlighted underdevelopment and unemployment in the
area to take on NC.
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party, Democratic Azad Party and Bharatiya Janta
Party are also backing their candidates on the seat.
An official told that 16000 persons are eligible to cast their votes in
Hajin-A
“We have set-up 57 polling stations for smooth conduct of elections in
the constituency,” he said.