A delegation of diplomats from 16 countries, including the US, Norway and Singapore, on Wednesday observed the ongoing assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The delegation visited polling stations in Ompora area of Budgam district, followed by stops at Amira Kadal and SP College, Chinar Bagh, within the Lal Chowk constituency, officials said.
At the SP College, the delegates had the chance to visit a special pink polling station, managed entirely by women.
Several of these polling stations had witnessed very low voter turnout during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Akshay Labroo, who is also the District Election Officer, briefed the observers on the voting process during their visit to the polling station in Ompora.
The delegation comprised diplomats from Delhi-based missions of the US, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria and the Philippines, people familiar with the matter said.
Most of the embassies are represented by their Charge d'affaires and deputy chief of missions, they said.
Others are represented by political officers at minister-counselor and counselor ranks.
This is perhaps for the first time since the eruption of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir that foreign observers have been allowed to witness the elections. The earlier governments stoically dismissed any suggestion of allowing international observers into Jammu and Kashmir during polls.
The Centre invited the foreign delegates with the objective of showcasing the peaceful poll process and the good voter turnout that has been witnessed since the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.
National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah lashed out at the Centre's move to invite foreign delegates to observe the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the polls were an internal matter of India.
"I don't know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says 'this is an internal matter for India' and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections," Abdullah told reporters here.
He said the assembly elections in J-K "are an internal matter for us", and "we do not have their certificate".
"Also, this participation is not because of the government of India, it is in spite of everything that the government of India did. They have humiliated people, they have used all the machinery of the government to detain and harass people," the former chief minister said.
"Inspite of that, people are coming and participating in the elections. So, this is not something the government of India should be highlighting. But, anyway, that's the way they are," he said.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases. Voting for 24 seats in the first phase was held on September 18 while polling for 26 seats in the second phase is underway on Wednesday. The voting for 40 seats in third phase will be held on October 1 while counting of votes will be held on October 8.
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