“We will not only boycott Panchayat elections but also Lok Sabha & Assembly elections if the Centre doesn’t clear its stand on Article 35A and Article 370,” said Abdullah while talking to reporters on a function in Srinagar organized to commemorate death anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah.
Srinagar, September 8:
National Conference President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that his party will boycott Lok Sabha and assembly elections as well if the government of India doesn’t end ambiguity in its stand on Article 35-A.
“We will not only boycott Panchayat elections but also Lok Sabha & Assembly elections if the Centre doesn’t clear its stand on Article 35A and Article 370,” said Abdullah while talking to reporters on a function in Srinagar organized to commemorate death anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah.
Earlier, National Conference announced boycott of the Panchayat and municipal polls scheduled from next month in the state.
Article 35A refers to a constitutional provision that allows the Jammu & Kashmir assembly to define permanent residents of the state.
According to the Jammu & Kashmir Constitution, a Permanent Resident is defined as a person who was a state subject on May 14, 1954, or who has been residing in the state for a period of 10 years, and has “lawfully acquired immovable property in the state”.
Article 370, on the other hand, guarantees special status to the state.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also said there are people with vested interests in both India and Pakistan who do not want relations between the two countries to improve.
Courtesy: Greater Kashmir
