An FIR has been registered against People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairman and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during Lok Sabha elections in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency on May 25.
Mufti, with party members and workers, had held a sit-in protest on polling day against the alleged detention of PDP party workers by J&K police.
While responding to the FIR In a post on X, Mufti stated that the FIR resulted from her protest against the Government of India and the local administration for detaining her party’s workers.
"It is amusing to find an FIR filed against me for apparently flouting MCC. This is the price the PDP has paid for speaking truth to power.
“Our protest was against the GOI in cahoots with the local administration for detaining hundreds of PDP polling agents and workers in the hours leading to voting. Still not satisfied, the same administration went on to launch cordon and search operations in traditional PDP stronghold areas to terrorise our voters and prevent them from exercising their right to vote," Mufti wrote.
She concluded her post with the phrase, "Ulta chor kotwal ko daante," (the thief scolds the prison guard).
While staging a protest on polling day, May 25, for the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, Mufti alleged that police had detained her party’s polling agents and workers without cause.
"PDP workers are being locked up in police stations without any reason. DG, LG, and all officials from top to bottom are involved in this.
“They have locked up PDP polling agents in police stations. You had said that there would be free and fair elections, but you are doing all this.
Complaints are being received from places where efforts are being made to tamper with the machines (EVMs)," she said.
Mufti had previously written to the Election Commission on May 13, requesting an end to the alleged harassment and "illegal" arrests of her party workers.
Mufti is contesting the Anantnag-Rajouri seat against National Conference (NC) candidates Mian Altaf Ahmad and Zafar Iqbal Manhas of the Apni Party.
According to the latest figures from the Election Commission, the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency recorded a 54.3 per cent voter turnout, significantly higher than the 14.3 per cent turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
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