SRINAGAR: In line with a Supreme Court ruling and directives from the Election Commission of India (ECI), seven candidates contesting the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections have been instructed to disclose their criminal records publicly. Among them is Shoaib Nabi Lone, representing the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP).
The candidates, which also include Manzoor Ahmad Dar, Sayed Nisar Geelani, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Mudassir Manzoor, Javid Ahmad Dar, and Nighat Parveen, are required to publish their criminal antecedents in newspapers and on TV channels on three occasions. These disclosures must occur within specified periods after the withdrawal of nominations, as per ECI guidelines.
The ECI mandates that the declarations be made within the first four days post-withdrawal of nominations, again between the fifth and eight days, and finally, from the ninth day until two days before polling. Candidates must also submit reports confirming the publication of these declarations, along with election expense details, to the Returning Officer and District Election Officer within 30 days of the election results.
Non-compliance with these instructions could lead to legal consequences and impact the candidates’ electoral status.
Shoaib Nabi Lone, the AIP candidate, faces charges under FIR No. 96/2024 from Baramulla Police Station and FIR No. 39/2019 from the Crime Branch Jammu. The cases involve charges under sections 376, 342, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 420 and 120B of the RPC, respectively. Lone claims that one of the cases arose from a shareholder dispute in a private company.
Other candidates with declared criminal cases include Nighat Parveen Mir, Javid Ahmed Dar, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, Sayed Nisar Geelani, and Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, each facing various charges under the IPC and RPC.