Kashmir
Govt likely to hold polls for vacant Panchayat seats by March
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to hold Panchayat elections for 60 percent vacant seats by March next year.
Panchayat elections were conducted in November-December 2018 for 4483 Panchayat halqas. There are 4483 Sarpanch and 35029 Panch seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, elections in 60 percent Panchayat seats could not take place due to varied reasons.
An official at Election Office said Centre has told Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate process for holding elections in vacant Panchayat seats.
“Chief Electoral Officer Shailandra Kumar also discussed with Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu about holding elections for vacant Panchayat seats. Polls are likely to be conducted in March next year,” he said.
The official said issue is also being discussed with agencies to ensure adequate security arrangements for the polls. “Majority of seats remained vacant as no candidates were fielded in those constituencies. Most of these constituencies fall in south Kashmir,” the official said.
He said that final electoral rolls will be completed in two weeks. “After which the final decision will be taken keeping weather factors into consideration,” he said.
On Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar also held a meeting with divisional commissioners and IGPs of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss poll preparations.
In Kashmir out of 20093 Panch and Sarpanch seats, only 6162 Panches and 1366 Sarpanches were elected while 12565 constituencies are lying vacant.
In Jammu, 15800 Panches and 2289 Sarpanches were elected where 166 seats are lying vacant. In Ladakh, 45 seats are lying vacant while as 1414 Panches and 192 Sarpanches were elected.
National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party had boycotted the polls.
Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar said Centre has given an indication to hold the process. “The process will be initiated when notification is issued,” he said.
A top official of Rural Development Department said that Centre has also directed Jammu and Kashmir administration to empower Panchayats at maximum level.
There are 21 departments including Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health, Education, Power, Horticulture, Fisheries and Agriculture, which come under the administrative control of Panchayat members, the official said.
Srinagar, Jan 16: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar released the annual calendar 2020 of Departments of Public Health Engineering and Irrigation & Flood Control here today.
The Advisor released the calendar in the presence of Commissioner Secretary PHE, I&FC Ajit Kumar Sahu and other concerned officers.
The main theme of the calendar is to highlight the water conservation measures in the households while using water for daily use.
On the occasion, the Advisor complimented the Departments for bringing out the calendar on such a theme which is an essential part of everyone’s daily life.
The Advisor exhorted upon the concerned to focus mainly on educational institutions and public places like bus stops and railway stations besides other utilities while distributing the calendars to further its message.
He also impressed upon the officers to launch a massive awareness campaign for judicious use of water and conservation techniques throughout Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi, Jan 16: Airports in Srinagar and Jammu are to be “immediately” brought under the security cover of the CISF in view of the arrest of DSP Davinder Singh, a Jammu and Kashmir government order has said. The two sensitive airports are to be “handed over” to the CISF by January 31, the order of the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department to the Director General of Police (DGP) said.
“This issue (CISF security at Srinagar and Jammu airports) has acquired immediacy in view of the recent developments relating to the arrest of Davinder Singh, DSP airport security, for trying to assist militants to travel to other parts of the country,” the order issued on Wednesday said. Police had arrested Singh, a deputy superintendent of police, at Mir Bazar in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday, along with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists Naveed Baba and Altaf, besides a lawyer who was operating as an overground worker for terror outfits.
The two airports are guarded by the CRPF and the J-K Police at present. The Union government had last year decided that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will be handed over security of these two airports along with the one in Leh in view of their sensitive and strategic location and the threats it faced related to possible terrorist and hijack attempts.
CISF is the national civil aviation security force and at present it guards 61 airports including the ones at Delhi and Mumbai. PTI had on January 13 reported that the Union home ministry sanctioned about 800 personnel to the CISF in order to take over security duties at the three airports of the newly created Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
As per the original plan, the CISF was to take over Jammu airport by next month and the Srinagar and Leh airports after the spell of severe cold ends. However, officials said, keeping in mind the arrest of the DSP and his alleged links, the latest order has been issued which also directs the J-K Police to make arrangements for accommodation, transport and other logistical requirements of the armed contingent of the CISF on a quick basis.
Once inducted at the most-sensitive Srinagar airport, the CISF will secure access control at both city and air side (tarmac area) while the CRPF will be responsible for securing the outer periphery. At the Jammu airport, the peripheral security duties will be rendered by the JK Police.
An assortment of surveillance and security gadgets like CCTVs, observation monitors, hand-held metal detectors, bullet-proof patrol vehicles and bomb detection and disposal equipment are also being provided by the airport operator, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), to the CISF. The Union government sometime back made it clear that CISF will be the only civil airports guarding force and all such facilities in the country will be gradually brought under its command to bolster aviation security and tighten anti-terror and anti-hijack protocols.
Jammu, Jan 15: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said it is recommending to the central government that the Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh, who was arrested while travelling with two Hizbul terrorists, should be sacked.
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said while speaking at a press conference said that Davinder Singh has now been suspended from his duties.
“He has been suspended, we are recommending his sacking to the government. Cannot share right now what has been revealed during the interrogation,” Jammu and Kashmir DGP said.
As per the sources, National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director-General earlier in the day met Union Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla pertaining to an investigation of a case related to Deputy SP Davinder Singh, who was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police while he was travelling with two Hizbul terrorists.
The investigation of the case has been handed over to NIA, sources claimed.
The sources further said that a team headed by IG level officer will go to Jammu and Kashmir for the investigation soon.
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