Omar demands EC meet political parties to allay doubts on SIR

Srinagar, Dec 4 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the Election Commission of India should convene a meeting of political parties to allay their apprehension about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

"There are apprehensions, and it will be better that the Election Commission call people like us to make us understand what SIR really is because we have seen that while you do not steal elections through machines, but they are surely manipulated," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a passing out parade of the army's JAKLI regiment.

Abdullah called the 2023 delimitation in J-K a manipulation of elections.

"You created seven seats for political gains that led to benefiting a single party or its friends. The elections are manipulated like that. So, there are apprehensions over SIR that elections might be manipulated through SIR," he added.

The chief minister congratulated the about 713 youth who attended the parade to enter JAKLI, which, he said, has a close relationship with J-K in that it guards the country's borders.

On the Thursday arrival of Russian president Vladimir Putin, Abdullah said the good relations between New Delhi and Moscow go back a long way.

"We have very old and deep ties with Russia, which has time and again stood with India when conspiracies, wars and even attacks by our neighbours were carried out against India.

"Russia came forward to help India -- whether it was for the supply of arms or using its veto power in the UN or the Security Council. It is a good thing that the Russian president is visiting India. It will be a good thing if our relations improve further," he said.

Abdullah also said that if Indo-Russian relations benefit some other country, there should not be any objection.

"Our PM has a very good relationship with Putin, and if that benefits Ukraine somehow, if we can persuade Russia to tread the path of peace and end the attack on Ukraine, I think it will be everyone's success," he added.

Asked if the birth anniversary of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on Friday will be a holiday, the chief minister said his government does not have the power to declare holidays.

"I wish! In the division of powers, the elected government has not been given the power to declare holidays. It is with the Centre. That is why we seek restoration of statehood so that we can take big or small decisions ourselves," he said.

The chief minister, however, said there was no need for a holiday to remember Sher-e-Kashmir.

"You saw the best cadet was awarded a sword, which is known by the name of Sher-e-Kashmir. So, whether there is a holiday or not, someone's stature or contribution is not lessened. People continue to remember him," he said. PTI MIJ VN VN