Mon Oct 07 19:23:22 UTC 2024: ## Independent Candidate Running for Office in Kashmir While Wearing GPS Tracker Sparks Controversy

**Bandipore, Jammu and Kashmir** – Sikandar Malik, an independent candidate running for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, is drawing attention for his campaign while under judicial monitoring. Malik, a former district president of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Kashmir, is currently required to wear a GPS tracking anklet as part of an ongoing investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Despite the restrictions imposed on the JeI by the Union government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Malik is actively campaigning. The JeI has been banned from participating in elections since 2019, following accusations of anti-national activities and connections to terrorism.

Malik’s candidacy has sparked speculation about the JeI’s involvement in the elections, as the organization reportedly shifted its stance from boycotting elections to backing independent candidates like Malik. Some allege this is a strategy to fragment votes in the region, a claim Malik refutes.

While his campaign focuses on local development issues, particularly education in Bandipore, Malik has raised concerns about the GPS anklet, calling it a violation of his privacy.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections are scheduled to conclude on October 1, with results announced on October 8. Malik’s candidacy is likely to remain a point of discussion throughout the remaining election period.

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