J-K assembly polls: 9 FIRs lodged, 5 govt employees suspended for poll code violations

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has said nine FIRs were lodged and five government employees suspended for violations of the Model Code of Conduct in Jammu and Kashmir.

Twenty-three warnings were issued and inquiries were underway in 48 cases of poll code violations, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a statement.

The Model Code of Conduct for elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly came into effect on 16 August.

The statement from the CEO's office said 175 cases of poll code violations, including 96 against political parties and candidates and 53 against government employees, had been reported across Jammu and Kashmir.

However, 89 complaints were dropped as these were found to be "baseless and false", the statement said and added five government employees were placed under suspension by the authorities in Srinagar for participating in political activities and further inquiry was initiated against them.

Warnings were issued to violators in 23 cases while FIRs were lodged in nine cases of violations of serious nature. Inquiries have been initiated in 48 cases, the statement said.

Elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held in three phases on 18 September, 25 September and 1 October, and the votes counted on 8 October.