Category: Union Territory

‘Final decision to be announced from New Delhi, parties pitch for simultaneous elections’

Srinagar, March 05: The Election Commission of India who were on two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday that conducting elections in the state is challenging. On concluding their visit to the state, the ECI team headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said while addressing a presser in Jammu said the final decision on holding polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be taken in Delhi.

“Representatives of all the parties have demanded that both parliamentary and Assembly polls be held together citing successful Panchayat elections in the state,” they said as per KNO Correspondent. “Regarding security concerns, the Commission is indeed mindful of the specific challenging law and order situation in the State of J&K and especially in certain Assembly segments given their location and concerns,” Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.

Arora as per KNO correspondent also said that Commission will look into due security arrangements while deciding on the timing and phasing of the elections and they will also keep in view the desire for restoring democratically elected government in the State.

“The Commission is aware that Elections have been conducted in the past under trying circumstances in the State. J&K elections do attract global and national attention more than any other State.” Arora said. Arora was accompanied by Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra alongwith the team of officers from Election Commission of India. “We have received the feedback and will take all these into consideration. The final decision of holding polls, and how will be announced through a presser from New Delhi,” he said.

According to Arora representatives from all Political Parties emphasized that due security arrangements be made to provide adequate security to voters and candidates so as to instill confidence in them for conducive environment for forthcoming elections.

The Commission is committed to deliver free, fair, peaceful, transparent, ethical and inclusive elections, they said, adding the Commission attaches prime importance to ensuring conducive environment for conducting elections in the State keeping in view the specific concerns of the State.

“As regards the specific concern pointed out for M Forms for Migrant Voters, it was explained to the Party representatives also that to facilitate registration,voting and other issues/grievances, at present there are three AERO-Migrants (Assistant Electoral Registration Officers) who also perform duties of AROs as well as BLOs (Booth Level Officers) appointed specially to register the Kashmiri migrants.

Special camps were conducted at the migrant camps during SSR 2019 which resulted in addition of 4988 Kashmiri migrant voters during last one year. Two more Special Camps are being organised on 6th and 7thMarch, 2019 for migrant voters in all 26 special polling stations,” he said.

Similarly to facilitate Voting, Three Assistant Returning Officers (Migrants) are appointed, one each for Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi. 26 Special Polling Stations are setup for voting by migrants at Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi. Dedicated EPIC printing facility has been provided in the office of Relief Commissioner J&K.

Due publicity for these special arrangements shall be scaled up for benefit of all concerned. After Special summary revision 2019 following status of electoral roll has emerged: Total No. of Electors: 78,50,671,Male Electors: 40,37,993., Female Electors: 37,39,951, Service Voters: 72,727, Total marked Electors: 916.(KNO)

MHA officials holding deliberations whether to take the step

Srinagar, March 04: The ban imposed by Centre on the Kashmir’s socio-religious organisation, Jamaat-e-Islami has triggered uproar across the Valley as JeI has at least 500 schools and orphanages under it where more than five lakh children are enrolled.

The Government of India announced that Jamaat had been working “to carve out an Islamic State out of Jammu and Kashmir” while disputing the accession with the union of India and that the ban would stay for five years.

Rumour mills are rife that whether GoI would hit Hurriyat Conference after Jamaat as there seems to be a well-carved out plan to ensure smooth elections in the trouble-ravaged J&K.

Some call it as a “Doval doctrine”, a plan framed by the national security advisor of India, Ajit Doval, for ensuring the hassle free crucial Lok Sabha and Assembly polls due for the State any time this year.

At least 100 Jamaat activists and leaders including its chief Dr Hameed Fayaz has been arrested while properties of scores of old and new Jamaat leaders sealed by the police on the directions of deputy commissioners of various districts of Kashmir in the wake of Centre’s ban order.

“Jamaat ban is second of its nature. This time it has been imposed by BJP led regime in the Center and in the past, it was announced by the then chief minister of J&K, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah,” said Muhammad Sultan, a JeI worker told KNO.

“We were telling people not to participate in polls may be that is the reason why we were banned for five long years. Otherwise, our activities are purely social and religious in nature and there seems to be no other reason for the ban.”

Gossip lounges across Kashmir are rife with the rumours that whether the next step of GoI would be to be ban Hurriyat—both Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Geelani and the Hurriyat led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

“For the electoral gains, the GoI can resort to anything. From raiding the residences of Hurriyat leaders, seizing their electronic gadgets to mobile phones, banning Hurriyats seems to be no exception,” said a Hurriyat leader, wishing not to be banned.

Sources in the MHA told KNO that the Ministry of Home Affairs was weighing options for ensuring smooth Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Kashmir. “If there is a consensus on banning the Hurriyat in the Cabinet Committee on Security, the MHA would announce the decision without waiting for a moment,” a top source in the MHA said.

What remains to be seen is that whether Election Commission of India (ECI) that is presently on J&K visit, would announce that Lok Sabha and Assembly polls would be held jointly or they would first go ahead with Parliamentary polls only.(KNO)

Jammu, March 03: J&K Government Spokesman,Rohit Kansal this evening made it clear that schools, mosques and orphanages have been kept outside the scope of seizures and sealing in the wake of the ban imposed by the Government of India on Jamaat-e-Islami, J&K.

“Action is being taken against offices, assets, properties and other equipment of the banned organisation,” Kansal said in a statement adding that the ban is for 5 years and subsequent orders to do so have been issued by the State Government and the Deputy Commissioners.(KNO)

Srinagar, Mar 03: The Handwara gunfight today ended after three days of intense battle. During the gun battle at Babagund village of Handwara in district Kupwara eight persons were killed that included 2 militants, 3 CRPF men, 2 JKP cops and 1 civilian.
According to reports, eight houses including two cowsheds damaged in the ensuing gun battle. Till latest reports, the internet services were still suspended in the area.
According to police, “This operation posed considerable difficulties to the security forces due to the topography of the area. Area where the militants were hiding was very congested and civilians in the adjoining houses had to be evacuated to the safer places away from the site of encounter,” said a police spokesman.
He said bodies of both the militants were recovered from the site of the gunfight. “Their identities and affiliations are being ascertained,” he said.
“Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of the gunfight,” said the spokesman.
Police has registered a case in this matter and the incriminating materials retrieved from the site of encounter have been taken in the case records for further investigation.
“Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.”

Srinagar: Organization of Islamic Cooperation has condemned in the strongest terms recent wave of Indian terrorism in Kashmir and expressed deep concern over the atrocities and human rights violations in the valley, reported Radio Pakistan.

According to a report published by Radio Pakistan, in a resolution adopted by the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi, the OIC member states reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir remains the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution is indispensable for the dream for peace in South Asia.

“It reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Kashmiri people in their just cause and reminded the international community of its obligation to ensure implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the dispute,” Radio Pakistan reported.

“In the context of the current volatile situation in the region, the OIC member states adopted a new resolution sponsored by Pakistan, which expressed grave concern over the Indian violation of Pakistani airspace; affirmed Pakistan’s right to self-defence; and urged India to refrain from the threat or use of force,” it said.

“It also welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s renewed offer of dialogue to India and the goodwill gesture of handing over the Indian pilot,” said the report.

The resolution called for restraint and de-escalation as well as the need to resolve outstanding issues through peaceful means.

In another significant development, the OIC elected Pakistan as a member of its Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission from the Asian region, in acknowledgement of Pakistan’s constructive contribution to human rights discourse, norms and policies.

The report said the OIC adopted two other resolutions sponsored by Pakistan on international disarmament and non-proliferation issues and reform of the UN Security Council.

The strong OIC support to the people of Kashmir and the centrality of this core issue to regional peace is recognition of the key role that Pakistan plays as a founding OIC member,” reported Radio Pakistan.

In response, India issued a statement saying that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country, and the matter is “strictly internal to India”. The Ministry of External Affairs, which issued the statement, also said that “we deeply appreciate” the “historic gesture” of inviting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to the 50th-anniversary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Srinagar, March 2: The standoff between government forces and a militant, who rose from the rubble of a house yesterday, continued at Babagund Langate area of Handwara in frontier Kupwara district on Saturday.

So far, four government force men including an officer of Inspector rank of CRPF 92 battalion were killed and eleven other personnel—four from paramilitary and others from Army— were injured. One militant has been claimed to have been killed but so far no body has been retrieved from the gunfight site.

Official sources told GNS that on early Saturday morning, elite Para commandos from 3 and 9 battalion joined the already strengthened posse of government forces comprising army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles, 92 battalion CRPF and police’s Special Operation Group.

They said that there was fresh fire between the militant and the government forces and it continued intermittently for the day.

The government forces allegedly razed one more house to rubble by blowing it up with an Improvised Explosive Device. The three houses so far damaged belong to Manzoor Ahmad shah son of Ghulam Hassan, Fayaz Ahmad Peer son of Wali Mohammad and Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat. Two cowsheds and a tin shed were also damaged so far, the officials added.

The encounter broke out during the night between February 28 and March 1 after the joint team launched a cordon-and-search operation. A fierce encounter started and two militants were believed to have been killed.

However, when the joint search team went to retrieve the militant bodies amid a lull, one of the two militants, earlier believed to be dead stood up and fired indiscriminately. A CRPF Inspector namely Pintu Kumar and paramilitary trooper Vinod besides two policemen– Naseer Ahmad Kholi and Ghulam Mustafa Barah—were killed and eleven uniformed men, seven of the army men, were injured in the subsequent gunfight. A civilian was also killed in alleged government forces action amid clashes near the encounter site.

Meanwhile, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines, Handwara and officers led by IGP Kashmir S. P. Pani (IPS) laid floral wreaths on the bodies of SgCt Naseer Ahmad Kholi resident of Gund Gujran Karnah and SgCt Ghulam Mustafa Barah resident of Zachaldara Handwara.

Among others who attended the ceremony include DIG NKR Mohammad Suleman Choudhary (IPS), SP Handwara Ashish Kumar Mishra (IPS), Commander 7th Sector, CO CRPF and other officers and personnel of the district.

According to a police spokesman Naseer is survived by parents, wife, 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

Ghulam Mustafa’s family is survived by aged mother, wife, two daughters and as many sons, the spokesman added. (GNS)

SRINAGAR, MAR 02: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Spokesperson Rafi Mir said that BJP can’t force people of Kashmir to stay with India.

While speaking to News agency Press Trust of Kashmir Rafi Mir said, “BJP can’t win a single seat in 2014 election. It all depends upon people which party do they want in Jammu and Kashmir”.

He further added that the Agenda of alliance of BJP and PDP was based on development of the State, if they stand with the statement of late Mufti Sahab, then BJP should started the talks about issues”.

He further added that people know what happen in Kashmir and people cannot forget about the rape case of Kathua in which BJP leader take part and try to create chaos”.

Reacting over the article 370, PDP Chief Spokesperson said, “The relationship between India and Kashmir is based on 370. They never accept that Kashmir is integral part of India and the relationship is based on 370”.

He further added, “The 370 is most important for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and we can do anything to save it”.

Earlier BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav said that Article 370 must go from Jammu and Kashmir.

He added “Removal of Article 370 and bringing Jammu and Kashmir on par with other states is the only viable solution to the issue,”

He said this would be a befitting reply to separatists and Pakistan who are supporting and nourishing terrorism in the state and will pave the way to bring the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those of the Valley, into the national mainstream.

He added that today large parts of the Valley are normal and peaceful. “Stone pelting has dropped. Problem confined to few districts in south Kashmir”. (PTK)