Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday cautioned against what he termed a “dangerous trend” in the electoral process. He said if the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ends up influencing the outcome of the West Bengal Assembly elections, it could create a troubling precedent that political parties across the country must guard against.
Replying to questions about the ongoing West Bengal assembly polls and tensions reported outside a strong room in Kolkata, Omar stressed that protecting EVMs after voting remains an essential responsibility of political parties. Drawing comparisons with the earlier ballot box system, he said maintaining vigilance outside strong rooms has always been a standard democratic practice to ensure transparency and security.
“We used to do the same when ballot boxes were used. Our workers would stay outside strong rooms to safeguard them,” Omar said, defending the right of leaders such as Mamata Banerjee to keep a watch on the process and ensure electoral integrity. He asserted that electronic voting machines themselves may not necessarily be the main source of manipulation, but the voter list remains the weakest link in the system.
“Today, stealing (of votes) is not happening through the EVMs, but via the SIR unfortunately through the Election Commission,” he said while speaking to mediapersons after inaugurating newly constructed flats for government employees.
He warned that if the SIR exercise succeeds in altering the election outcome in West Bengal, it would establish a “very dangerous” precedent that could impact future elections across the country and concern all political parties.
Calling the SIR process a “huge challenge” for opposition parties, Omar alleged that manipulation now happens through deletion of voter names rather than through traditional methods of rigging. He claimed that removal of voters from electoral rolls has emerged as a new political concern.
Commenting on exit polls, Omar dismissed their credibility, saying past experiences show that they often fail to predict actual results. He expressed confidence that the final results would contradict many current projections.
"Which exit poll has been right till now? Five years ago, when the elections took place in West Bengal, all the exit polls had given the government to the BJP. But what was the result? We do not have to wait for long; the results will be out on Monday," he added.
On rising airfares for the annual Haj pilgrimage, he remarked that price increases tend to follow elections. He suggested that several costs are likely to rise now that the electoral process has concluded.
"Now that the elections are over, you see what else would be hiked. There is a hike in the (prices of) commercial gas cylinders. Fuel prices would increase, everything will increase," he said.
Referring to an 18 per cent hike in public transport fares, Omar said the government had little choice but to approve the increase due to rising operational costs. He noted that commuters were already paying higher unofficial fares earlier.
"When fuel prices increase, wouldn't the passenger fare increase? These people were anyway taking this fare from under the table, and people were giving it, but it became our compulsion to increase the fare. The solution is that this (Iran) war should end. This war should not have started. There was no basis or reason for this war," he said.
Omar called for an immediate end to global conflicts, stating that prolonged wars only burden ordinary citizens worldwide and worsen economic pressures faced by people. He expressed hope that the ongoing conflict involving Iran would conclude soon, adding that global leadership, particularly the United States, must act responsibly to restore peace.
"The sooner better sense prevails upon the US, the better. It will not prevail on Israel as they do not have a sense, so leave them," he said. Omar was speaking after inaugurating two newly constructed blocks of Estate Quarters at Sempora on the outskirts of Srinagar. The housing facility is intended for government employees, which he described as a key administrative responsibility.
He proposed developing the Sempora area into a premier residential hub for employees, senior officials and legislators, similar to residential complexes such as Baba Kharak Singh Marg or New Moti Bagh. Omar said relocating government offices and housing facilities to the outskirts would help decongest central Srinagar while allowing the government to monetise valuable urban land currently occupied by facilities like the MLA Hostel and Jawahar Nagar.
Addressing concerns over unemployment, he acknowledged that joblessness remains a serious challenge in Jammu and Kashmir. However, he cautioned that government recruitment alone cannot permanently solve the employment crisis. He said no state or country has eliminated unemployment solely through public sector jobs. While the government will continue accommodating as many young people as possible, the long-term focus must remain on strengthening private sector opportunities.
Highlighting government initiatives, Omar said nearly Rs 1,000 crore has already been disbursed through soft loans and grants under the ‘Mission Yuva’ self-employment programme to help young entrepreneurs establish businesses and create sustainable livelihoods.
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