The firebrand Kashmiri leader was arrested by the National Investigation Agency two days before the revocation of Article 370
Jailed Kashmiri politician Engineer Rashid, 57, was nominated as the Awami Ittehad Party’s (AIP) candidate for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in north Kashmir on March 20.
The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the AIP, founded by Mr. Rashid, “unanimously” decided to field the party chief as Lok Sabha candidate.
“The PAC decided Er. Rashid will contest elections from the Baramulla seat. We are hopeful he will be released before the elections. If God forbid Mr. Rashid is not released, he will contest from the Tihar Jail, where he is lodged right now,” AIP spokesman Firdous Baba said.
Mr. Baba said the Indian Constitution allows an accused to contest elections, if he is not convicted.
The firebrand Kashmiri leader was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) two days before the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and later booked under several sections of the UAPA. The AIP termed the case against Mr. Rashid as “politically motivated charges”.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.
