Not even brownie points accrue to the Election Commission for scrapping the by-election to the Lok Sabha from Anantnag. The elaborate explanation offered in its formal order on the night of 1 May merely echoes the reality of the ground situation that obtained on 9 April: when the by-election from Srinagar resulted in eight deaths, over 200 violent incidents ~ including the Army’s use of a human shield which it is desperately trying to justify ~ and a voter response of just about eight per cent. It was no secret that the situation in Anantnag was worse than Srinagar, though it attracts less publicity, and so deferring the poll from 12 April to 25 May made little sense.
Even lesser sense was displayed when the Commission sought the mustering of nearly 70,000 paramilitary personnel for the poll: not only did the Central and state governments contend that such a huge force-level was difficult to marshal, “independent” observers ridiculed the bid to conduct a democratic exercise under such “militarised” conditions. The possibility of allegations that people were being forced to vote was very “real”.
What the cancellation of the Anantnag poll also does is raise questions over the propriety of the election in Srinagar, an added political “barb” being that the move saved the PDP candidate (the brother of the chief minister) from suffering much embarrassment. Much of this would have been avoided had the EC accepted the government’s view that conditions were not conducive for elections in April. True the EC is autonomous, yet good governance requires all organs/agencies working in harmony, rather than creating an impression of muscle-flexing or one-upmanship. What the cancellation at Anantnag also confirms is the dangerous deterioration in the state’s administration since the last Assembly poll. Ever an “unnatural” partnership, the PDP and the BJP have miserably failed to provide even a semblance of governance: the “agenda of alliance” has been honoured only in the breach and the longevity of the coalition is a matter of doubt. Mehbooba Mufti is under pressure from within her party to end the charade and live up to the PDP’s election-promise of talking to all entities, separatists included. Both the Attorney-General and the BJP president have ruled out talking to the Hurriyat, so the platform upon which the coalition was built has collapsed.
Not surprisingly the other political parties in the Valley are advocating Governor’s Rule in the wake of administrative and political paralysis. The Governor is having a series of meetings with leadership in New Delhi, but there are convenient “leaks” that the government is contemplating replacing Mr NN Vohra. The upshot being that apart from the forecast of a “hot” summer ahead, J&K could be plunged into even further “clueless” confusion.