PDP asks 'why stop counting in Drugmulla?' after EC's order over PoK-origin candidate

Even as the Gupkar alliance has won the most seats of any single alliance or party in the District Development Council (DDC) elections in J&K, Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP has questioned State Election Commission's order to stop counting of votes in Drugmulla constituency. The State Election Commission had stopped the counting of votes for Drugmulla constituency till further orders citing that a candidate had filled wrong information in Form 6 about her identity. PDP has said that if EC had problems then they should have flagged it before the elections were held. 

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Independent candidate Soomia Sadaf had contested the DDC polls from the constituency of Drugmulla; however it emerged that she hails from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Speaking to local newspaper Greater Kashmir, Sadaf expressed strong resentment and said that she cannot understand what wrong information has she given. 

“I am unable to figure out how could I have furnished wrong information? Suppose the State Election Commission is true, why did the officials at the helm of affairs not approach me for rectification,” she said. “I understand fully that they have done this because of my PoK origin. SEC has stopped counting of votes which is totally against a democratic setup. If India claims PoK its territory, why I am deprived of my rights?” Sadaf claimed that she not only possesses an Indian passport but has passed her Masters in Urdu from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) from Kashmir.

Earlier, speaking to news agency ANI, Sadaf who was born in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), said, "I came to Kashmir in 2010. If I win the poll, then my priority would be to work for development of this area, like Muzaffarabad." 

READ | DDC poll result: Gupkar Alliance wins maximum seats, BJP emerges as single-largest party

DDC polls result 

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration emerged as the single-largest coalition in the first-ever District Development Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir and first political activity of its scale in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370. On the other hand, BJP too made inroads in the Union Territory by becoming the single-largest party. While it has performed well in the Jammu region, three of its top candidates - Er. Aijaz Hussain, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, and Mina Lateef won in the Kashmir valley. BJP won 74 seats, the Gupkar alliance won 112 seats. The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) put up a dismal performance by bagging 12 seats. Here are the final numbers: 

READ | J-K authorities detain at least 20 political leaders on eve of DDC poll counting

Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti said that the poll result has shown that the people of Jammu and Kashmir rejected the "unconstitutional decision to abrogate Article 370." She also claimed that the Government of India engineered a split in PDP, and congratulated National Investigation Agency (NIA) days after filing his nomination for the first ever District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Similarly, Omar Abdullah called upon BJP to pay heed to the people's voice. He stressed that the alliance was emerging victorious despite facing obstacles such as illegal detentions, agency threats and pressures, and stopping candidates from campaigning. Thanking the people of the state for their support, Abdullah asserted that the PAGD will continue to fight for their rights.

READ | J&K DDC Election Results LIVE Updates: PAGD Maintains Lead; BJP Single-largest Party