 |
|
In the lead-up to the first phase of assembly elections in Kashmir, scheduled for September 18, a significant shake-up has occurred within the police force. On Friday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) approved the appointment of new district police chiefs for four key districts, including the capital city of Srinagar. This move has sparked concerns and questions, particularly from the National Conference (NC), a prominent political party in the region.
The ECI's decision to approve new Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) for Srinagar, Baramulla, and Kupwara, as well as a Superintendent of Police (SP) for Handwara, was made after receiving a panel of names from the administration. The new appointees are Imtiyaz Hussain for Srinagar SSP, Mohd Zaid for Baramulla SSP, Ghulam Jeelani Wani for Kupwara SSP, and Ifroze Ahmad for Handwara SP. These officers replace Ashish Kumar Mishra, Gurinderpal Singh, Shobit Saxena, and Dawood Ayoub, respectively, who have been reassigned to other positions within the police department.
The timing of these transfers, particularly with the first phase of elections just around the corner, has raised eyebrows. The NC, through its leader and Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi, has expressed apprehensions about the rationale behind these changes. Mehdi highlighted that the Baramulla SSP had only been in the position for 10 days before being transferred. He questioned whether these transfers were orchestrated at the behest of a particular political party to gain an advantage during the election period. The NC has formally written to the ECI seeking clarification on the reasons behind these appointments.
Source: Ahead of elections, Kashmir gets four new district police chiefs