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Anantnag bypoll deferred, will be held on May 25

A day after violence in Srinagar killed eight civilians and injured several others, the Election Commission on Monday deferred the bypoll for the Anantnag seat till May 25. It was earlier scheduled to be held on April 12. Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti's brother and PDP candidate from Anantnag, Tasaduq Mufti appealed to the Election Commission to postpone the bypoll. "I appeal to the EC to postpone the elections to a later favourable date," Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.

The Election Commission is also expected to take a call on holding repoll in polling centres which saw unprecedented violence and poor voter turnout in the bypoll to Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

Only 7.14 per cent of the electorate came out to cast their votes in the constituency.

Sources privy to the development said top Commission brass met at least twice on Monday to discuss precedents and various options available to it so that the poll panel could take a considered view under these circumstances.

In 2014 general elections, 26 per cent voting was recorded on this seat, while in the polls of 1989, Mohammad Shafi Bhat won uncontested.
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