Tag: Kashmir DDC elections

  • Kashmir DDC elections: Gupkar Alliance clinches Bandipora seat, loses Baramulla to Independent

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: In a surprise, Gupkar Alliance lost the Baramulla district council seat to an Independent due to cross-voting while the polls for Rajouri and Kishtwar were deferred due to lack of quorum. In the District Development Council (DDC) elections, none of the parties have had a clear majority.

    The Gupkar Alliance won the chairman and vice chairman’s post in Bandipora DDC. The NC’s Abdul Gani Bhat was elected as chairperson and PDP’s Kousar Shafeeq as vice-chairperson.

    In the 13-member Bandipora DDC, NC won 4 seats, PDP 2, independents 3 while Apni Party, Congress, BJP, J&K Peoples Movement had won one seat each. In Baramulla DDC, the six-party Gupkar Alliance suffered a setback as the chairman’s post was won by independent Safina Baig, wife of former PDP patron Muzaffar Hussain Baig.

    In Baramulla DDC, which was reserved for women, Peoples Conference and independents had won three seats each while, NC, PDP, Congress and JKAP and won two seats each. Safina, who had got support of two members of JKAP and 3 members of PC, secured 10 votes as against four votes of PDP’s Qurat-ul-Bashir.

    Due to cross-voting from Gupkar Alliance-Congress camp, Safina secured more votes. Surprisingly, for the vice chairman’s post there was no cross-voting as PC’s Sonaullah Parray and Independent Irfan Hafiz Lone secured seven votes each and Parray was declared winner after a draw of lots.

  • European Union envoys to visit Jammu & Kashmir  on February 17 to assess situation

    By Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: A delegation of European Union envoys in India will visit Jammu and Kashmir on February 17-18 to assess the ground situation in the region after abrogation of J&K’s special status and peaceful conduct of the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) elections. A 20-member delegation will arrive in the militancy-hit valley on February 17.

    Sources said the visit is facilitated by the Ministry of External Affairs to showcase peaceful conduct of DDC elections and peaceful environment in J&K to the international community. The visiting envoys will interact with newly elected DDC members, leaders of different political parties, traders, citizens, social activists and journalists.

    Sources said they will take a first-hand account of the situation. On February 18, the envoys will visit Jammu and interact with DDC members, politicians, social activists.