Mudassir Kuloo
Srinagar, Sep 26: At least 245 candidates have submitted their nominations for the first phase of municipal elections in Kashmir.
The last date for submitting nominations for the election to 11 municipalities and three wards of Srinagar was September 25.
The polling is scheduled to take place on October 8.
For three wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation—ward No 16 Humhuma, 17 Hamdania Colony Bemina and 74 Baghemehtab Shankerpora—three, five, and three nominations have been submitted, respectively.
About 160 candidates have filed their papers for four municipal committees of Kupwara, Handwara, Bandipora, and Baramulla.
Forty candidates have filed nomination for 21 wards of Baramulla Municipal Council.
Among them, 21 are Congress candidates, 13 BJP, and six are independent.
Forty-eight candidates have filed their nominations for 17 wards of Bandipora Municipal Committee.
At least 43 candidates have submitted their nominations for Municipal Committee Kupwara.
Eight are from Congress, six from BJP, and 29 are independent.
Twenty-nine candidates have filed their nominations for different wards under Municipal Committee Kupwara.
These include seven candidates from BJP, 22 independent, and one from Congress.
For three municipalities of Budgam district, 24 candidates have filed their nominations.
For various wards of Municipal Committee Budgam, 13 candidates have filed their nominations, while 11 filed nominations from Municipal Committee Chadoora. However, no nomination has been filed in Municipal Committee Khansahib.
For five municipalities of south Kashmir—Kulgam, Devsar, Achabal, Kokernag, and Qazigund—comprising a total of 53 wards, only 50 candidates have filed their nominations for the first phase.
“The Congress, BJP, Peoples Conference and along with few independents have submitted their nomination papers across Kashmir,” an official at district election office said.
The official said that candidates can withdraw their nominations by September 28.
“It is likely to be a direct contest between Congress, BJP and Peoples Conference,” the official said.
The government has announced holding of 4-phase ULB and 9-phase panchayat elections in the state.
The ULB polls would be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16.
Both the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, the two biggest regional political outfits, have decided to boycott the elections.
The civic polls are being held in the state after 2011.
UJC to people: ‘Boycott polls to respect sacrifices’
Srinagar, Sep 26: United Jihad Council (UJC) on Wednesday paid tributes to the slain militants who were killed in an encounter between forces and militants in Tujjar Shareef area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
In an e-mailed statement to The Kashmir Monitor, UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain quoted its chief, Syed Salah-ud-din as saying “the people who are sacrificing their lives are the benefactors of nation.”
He said that the people should respect the sacrifices by boycotting the upcoming polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The militants are sacrificing their today for the future of nation and it stands the responsibility of people to respect their sacrifices and the day is not far when people of Kashmir will achieve their goal (freedom),” he said.
Paying tributes to the slain militants who were killed from last week, UJC chief further said the sacrifices given by people will bear fruit.
