Srinagar, Sep 26 (KNO): In accordance with the Supreme Court’s judgment and the Election Commission of India’s directives, several candidates in the electoral fray for third phase of assembly elections have been asked to publish information regarding their criminal antecedents.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the candidates including Shoaib Nabi Lone, representing Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), Manzoor Ahmad Dar, Sayed Nisar Geelani, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Mudassir Manzoor, Javid Ahmad Dar, and Nighat Parveen, are required to publicly declare their criminal cases on three occasions in both newspapers and TV channels.
As per the Commission’s guidelines, these declarations must be made within the first four days after the withdrawal of nominations, between the 5th and 8th days following withdrawal and from the 9th day until the last day of the campaign, two days prior to the polling.
All candidates must submit reports regarding the publication of these declarations to the Returning Officer and District Election Officer, along with election expense details within 30 days of the election results, an official document accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads.
Failure to comply with these instructions may lead to legal consequences and affect their electoral candidacy, it added.
The candidates with criminal cases:
Shoaib Nabi Lone, an AIP-backed candidate has a case FIR No 96/2024 of Police Station Baramulla under section 376, 342, 506 of IPC and FIR No 39/2019 of PS Crime Branch Jammu under section 420 and 120 B of RPC.
The brief description of offence in Crime Branch as per the Affidavit submitted are "A dispute arose between shareholders in a private limited co, which led to filling of this FIR and for extraneous reasons it was lodged in Jammu crime Branch instead of crime Branch Kashmir.”
Similarly, Nighat Parveen Mir, an independent candidate has a case under FIR No 29/2016 of Police Station Baramulla under section 182, 427, 451 of RPC. The case description reads as "Mischief".
Javid Ahmed Dar, an independent has a case FIR No 178/2012 of Police Station Baramulla under sections 6/F Act, 379 RPC. With case description mentioned as Acts prohibited in forests.
While Manzoor Ahmed Dar, of Samajwadi Party with a case under FIR No 106/2016 of Police Station Baramulla under section 307, 341/34 RPC and case FIR No 12/2010 of Police Station Sheeri. The case details as per the document "scuffle between two drivers in which I was reconcilatory and was falsely implicated. While in another case, "Forest related offense for collection of firewood from forest.
Sayed Nisar Geelani, an independent candidate with a case FIR No 32/219 of Police Station Chandoosa, under sections 452, 354, 304 (A), 323, 506 of RPC. Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, affiliated with Rashtriya Lok Dal with case FIR No 80/2015 of Police Station Kreeri under sections 148, 149, 323, 325, 336, 427, 307 of RPC and FIR No 30/2022 of Police Station Uri under section 420, 506 of IPC.
While Manzoor Ahmed, an independent with a case under FIR numbers 63 and 134/2023 of Police Station Baramulla under section 382, 420, 506 of IPC—(KNO)