The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference stated on April 16 that will not issue a poll boycott call but leave to the conscience of the voters whether to vote or not during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state. The former chairman of the Hurriyat Conference Abdul Gani Bhat however added that elections remained a “non-issue for Hurriyat and it will not affect Kashmir issue." The hard line faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has already called for a boycott of the elections and general strike on the days of polling1.

• 1. “Hurriyat not to give poll boycott call,” Daily Excelsior, April 17, 2009, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/09apr17/news.htm#2