National desk
25 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
During the second round of polling for the Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections on Wednesday, ambassadors from 16 countries, including the USA, Norway, and Singapore, visited Jammu and Kashmir to observe the election process. The delegation first visited Omarpora in Budgam district and then proceeded to places like Amira Kadal, SP College, and Chinar Bagh in the Lal Chowk constituency. At SP College, they also visited a special women-run “pink polling station.”
Budgam Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labru briefed the delegation about the election process at Omarpora. The delegation included diplomats from the Delhi-based embassies of countries such as the United States, Mexico, South Korea, Nigeria, South Africa, and others. Officials noted that this is the first time in years that foreign observers have been allowed to attend elections in Jammu and Kashmir, a region known for political sensitivity. Previously, Indian governments had rejected international observers for local elections.
However, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah strongly opposed the presence of foreign observers. He criticized the central government’s decision, stating that elections in Jammu and Kashmir are an internal matter. Omar argued, “When foreign governments comment on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government insists it is an internal issue. So why invite them now?”
He further remarked that the participation of the people in the elections is not a result of the Government of India’s efforts but in spite of them, emphasizing that the enthusiasm of the voters should not be showcased as a political success by the Indian government.