Srinagar Mayor Polls: It is Junaid Mattu versus Sheikh Imran again

Srinagar:  Politics continues to make news from Kashmir even in the time of Corona as the fight for Srinagar Mayor’s position is agains seeing the same two men pitted against each other.

After being voted-out last month, former Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu is again trying his luck in the Mayoral elections scheduled to be held on July 14.

Former Deputy Mayor Sheikh Mohammad Imran, who resigned days before no-confidence motion last year, has also jumped into the fray.

“Only two candidates, Junaid Mattu and Sheikh Imran have taken nomination forms from the office of secretary yesterday. Today is the last date of filing papers and they have time till 4 pm for submission of the forms,” Secretary SMC Sofi Mohammad Akbar told The Kashmir Monitor on Saturday.

The post of Mayor had fallen vacant after a no-confidence motion was passed against Junaid Azim Mattu on June 16.  According to the J&K Municipal Corporation Act 2000, Deputy Mayor of the SMC has to hold the charge till elections for new Mayor is held.

“I am going to file nomination papers today. Call me after an hour,” Junaid said.

Waheed Dar, an Independent Corporator from Ward No 72, Zakura, who moved a no-confidence motion against Junaid Mattu, said they have nominated Sheikh Imran for the post of Mayor.

“He (Imran) will be filing papers within an hour. We have the support of around 48 Corporators. The majority of the Corporators from Congress party are also supporting us. BJP has four Corporators and we do not know whether they will participate in the polls,” he said.

Till December 26, 2019, Sheikh Mohammad Imran was the Deputy Mayor of SMC. Last year, 47 Corporators had moved a no-confidence motion against him. However days before the voting, he put in his papers only to return to contest Mayoral polls. Later Parvaiz Qadri replaced Imran as Deputy Mayor in the SMC.

On July 8, SMC announced an election for the post of Mayor. “The election for Mayor will be held as per the given programme,” SMC said.