The Election Commission (EC) on Monday deferred the conduct of by-elections to the Anantnag parliamentary constituency from April 12 to May 25, after large-scale violence, including the death of eight persons, marred the Srinagar by-poll on Sunday.
The decision came after a report from the State administration, received earlier on Monday, stated that “the law and order situation prevailing in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency is not conducive to the holding of free and fair poll on April 12, as scheduled.”
Ahead of the Election Commission’s decision, a complete shutdown was observed in the Kashmir Valley and three schools, designated as polling booths, were attacked.
A police official said the Padar Pora government school in Shopian was set on fire by unknown persons, while two schools in Anantnag and Kulgam districts were attacked. In its report to the Election Commission, the State administration had expressed apprehension that there might be attempts to thwart the polling process and recommended that the poll be deferred for the time being.
