NEW DELHI, July 1: The Jamaat-i-Islami of Indian-ruled Jammu and Kashmir region was quoted on Monday as denying it ever promised not to boycott state polls there scheduled in October, the Press trust of India said.

It said the JEI, a dominant constituent of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, would abide by any decision of the 23-party umbrella group on the question of participation in elections in Jammu and Kashmir, denying it was not going to issue a poll boycott call.

PTI quoted the JEI as saying that an interview given by its chief Ghulam Mohammad Bhat to a local daily was “distorted” and published “out of context”.

Bhat was quoted by a local English daily Greater Kashmir on Sunday as saying that “poll boycott is unlawful.”

Clarifying its stand on the elections, a Jamaat spokesman said Bhat was actually quoting Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh who had said stopping anyone from casting vote is unlawful during his recent visit to the state.

“Jamaat-i-Islami is a basic member of the Hurriyat Conference and will abide by its decision on the issue of election,” the spokesman said.

“This part of the interview was not published,” he said, adding the interview was presented in “bits and pieces” and did not convey the “correct message”.

PTI quoted the Greater Kashmir reporter, who conducted the interview with Bhat, as standing by his story as it was “based on its entire recording.”—JN