Officers backing early Assembly polls harassed: Omar

Srinagar:Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alleged on Monday that officers of Jammu and Kashmir favouring early Assembly elections were being harassed by a lobby of senior officers who oppose such a move.

"I'm shocked to hear how officers who have supported early Assembly elections are being browbeaten and threatened using their performance appraisals against them to get them to toe the line," the National Conference leader tweeted.

"One day we will talk about the cabal of officers in J&K who for their own selfish reasons have taken it upon themselves to scuttle democracy in the state.

"No honest officer should fear these threats. We must put the greater good ahead of our personal preferences and benefits. Those people making the threats will not remain in the state for very long."

All mainstream parties in the state except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) favour simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

To re-assess the ground situation, three observers appointed by the Election Commission completed their two-day visit to the state.

The observers would submit their report to the Election Commission so that a final call is taken on holding the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.