After National Conference (NC) the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday announced its decision to boycott the upcoming panchayat, municipal elections in the state amid ‘current atmosphere of fear and apprehensions’.Reports reaching news gathering agency Global News Service (GNS) said that the announcement about poll boycott was made by PDP President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti after a party meeting at her Fairview residence here this afternoon.“The party reiterated its resolve to continue its efforts to defend the special position of the state in all circumstances. The party feels while the special position of the state is a matter of survival for its people and society, the democratic system is the sustenance,” Mehbooba said while addressing a news conference.She said that her party feels that any attempt to impose any electoral exercise in the ‘current atmosphere of fear and apprehensions’ would seriously erode the credibility of the process and institutions.
“The party, therefore, urges the government to review its decision to hold local bodies’ elections at this venture against the will of the people. And instead, focus on confidence-building measures so that the state is assured of the inviolability of the constitution guarantees that makes it a special part of a union of India,” Mehbooba said.“It was therefore unanimously resolved that the party would stay away from electoral exercise at this juncture,” she added.Mehbooba’s announcement of poll boycott comes four days after NC President Farooq Abdullah threw a surprise by announcing the party’s decision to boycott the upcoming panchayat and local bodies’ polls in the state over the assault on Article-35A. (GNS)