By Sameer Ahmad
Anantnag: In a first, an Uttar Pradesh resident is contesting parliamentary polls against political stalwarts including Mehbooba Mufti for Anantnag seat in south Kashmir.
Shams Khawaja son of Abdullah Khawaja resident of Guatam Buddha Nagar in UP’s Noida area has filed his nomination papers and duly accepted by the returning officer a week ago.
Khwaja is one of the eighteen candidates in fray for the Anantnag Lok sabha constituency, going to polls in three phases.
In Anantnag district the polling will be held on April 23, in Kulgam district on April 29 and in Pulwama and Shopian districts on May 6, 2019.
On Friday April 5 Khalid Jahangeer District Commissioner Anantnag under the supervision of General, police and expenditure observes in presence of the chief agents representatives of candidates conducted the scrutiny of all candidates who filed nomination papers for the Lok Sabha seat.
During scrutiny out of 20, 18 nominations were accepted except of Bashir Ahmad Malik (independent condidate) and Safeer Ahmad Malik (Rastriya Jan Kranti Party).
Deputy commissioner Anantnag Khalid Jehangeer told INS that Khwaja’s nomination has been accepted and he is among the contestants.
Khwaja has pitched himself against Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, Congress’s state chief GA Mir and recently joined National Conference’s Hussnain Masoodi.
DC Anantnag, Jehangir said that there is no constitutional blockade for Khwaja and PRC of J&K is not applicable in LS polls.
Legal experts say that PRC is must for Assembly Polls but for Parliamentary elections a candidate must be citizen of India and can contest from any place.
