Srinagar, Sept 17: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has called for the intro-duction of stringent laws to prevent groups such as Jama’at-e-Islami from par-ticipating in elections in Jammu and Kashmir. In a recent interview with NDTV, Sinha highlighted the necessity for a legislative consensus and parlia-mentary discussions to draft a law that would exclude entities with secessionist ideologies from electoral processes.
Sinha stressed that the issue extends beyond Jama’at-e-Islami, pointing out that similar groups have previously boycotted elections under the influence of Pakistan. He emphasized that the democratic process must adhere to constitu-tional and legal principles enforced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“The problem is not limited to Jama’at. Other groups have also participated in elections, influenced by forces supporting them. We must operate within the framework of our Constitution and legal system,” Sinha said. “A unified politi-cal approach and parliamentary debate are essential to formulate a law that would prevent such groups from engaging in future elections.”
In addressing the rise of independent candidates in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha viewed this development as indicative of a healthy democratic process. Reflecting on past elections, he noted that earlier practices led to a scenario where a political party had 30 MLAs elected unopposed in 75 assembly segments, which created a perception of electoral unfairness.
“There was a perception of two types of MLAs—those elected by the people and those appointed by district collectors. If past elections had been conducted more fairly, the situation would be notably different today,” Sinha added.
