Jammu: Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti has announced her decision not to participate in the upcoming Assembly elections in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, attributing her decision to the diminished status of the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mufti expressed her disapproval of the current political conditions in a statement issued in Srinagar. She highlighted her refusal to engage in an electoral process under the reduced governance framework where the region has been downgraded to a mere municipal status.
Mufti reminisced about her previous electoral participations when Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed a fuller state status with its own constitution, flag, and a robust legislative assembly. She criticized the present system where significant decisions require the approval of the Lieutenant Governor, arguing that it undermines the authority of the Chief Minister and local governance.