RLEK, to act as observer in upcoming J&K Assembly polls

Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) shall act as an independent observer in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Representatives from the organisation shall be present in various parts of the state during the elections to ascertain free and fair polls in the state.

"RLEK has taken up this challenging task as it feels that the role of NGOs extends much, beyond the mere implementation of projects and programmes. For fulfilling their duty towards the civil society, every NGO should ensure that all citizens are able to enjoy their basic rights without any hindrances," said Avdhash Kaushal, the Chairperson of RLEK.

"Moreover the effectiveness of International agencies like Amnesty International is greatly limited owing to language barriers, lack of contextual clarity and due to geo-physical constraints, thus a National organisation like RLEK has to gear up to meet the challenge" he added.

RLEK has prepared a comprehensive strategy for undertaking this task. Independent teams, headed by a team leader, shall take up this task in different regions including Leh and Ladakh, Valley and Jammu. These teams shall comprise of both males and females and shall have members who are familiar with the local language. The members of each team shall fan out in their respective region during the polling day to ascertain whether the polling process was free and fair. A comprehensive report of the findings shall be released for the public later. RLEK shall also look forward to suggestions and support from likeminded NGOs and concerned citizens.

The participants of the Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights, being conducted by RLEK Human Rights Centre shall play a key role in the observation process. These human rights activists from different parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, are presently undergoing training at the centre.