Srinagar — BJP’s 29-year-old Shagun Parihar is the youngest member of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, while National Conference veteran Abdul Rahim Rather aged 80 is the oldest member.

Parihar, who lost her father and uncle in a terror attack in 2018, is the only member of assembly below the age of 30 while Rather, the seven-time MLA from Chara-e-Sharief, is the only octogenarian in the house, data compiled by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals.

According to the ADR data, the average age of an MLA in Jammu and Kashmir is 55.71 years, which is reflected in the number of legislators with 32 falling in the age group of 51 to 60 years.

Among the 10 youngest newly-elected MLAs are PDP’s Waheed Para (Pulwama), Aam Admi Party’s Mehraj Malik (Doda), NC’s Mehar Ali (Kangan), independent Rameshwar Singh (Bani) and BJP’s Sunil Bharadwaj (Ramnagar).

Congress MLA from Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat at 77 is the second oldest member followed by CPI(M)’s Kulgam MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami who is 75 years old.

National Conference’s (NC) Eidgah MLA Mubarak Gul aged 73, while Beerwah MLA Mohammad Shafi Wani (NC), Pattan MLA Javaid Riyaz (NC) and Anantnag MLA P M Sayeed (Congress) are all 71.

The other elected septuagenarians include NC’s Hasnain Masoodi (Pampore), BJP’s Surjit Slathia (Samba) and his party colleague Baldev Raj (Shri Mata Vaishno Devi).

According to ADR, 23 MLAs are between the ages of 41 and 50 years, while 22 members are in the age group of 61 to 70 years. There are six MLAs who are aged below 40, including Parihar, the first time legislator from Kishtwar seat in Jammu region.

The polls right body also found that there has been no change in the composition of the assembly in terms of gender ratio.

There were three women MLAs in the last assembly which was dissolved in the 2018 elections and the number has remained unchanged this year too.

In 2014, NC’s Shamima Firdous and PDP’s Asiea Naqash were the only two women to get elected but PDP president Mehbooba Mufti joined them in the House after getting elected in the 2016 bypoll held after the death of her father and then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Shamima Firdous has retained her Habbakadal seat while Sakina Masood managed to regain the D H Pora seat which she had lost in 2014 elections.

Debutant Parihar from Kishtwar has joined them this year.

In the poll results declared by the Election Commission on Tuesday, the alliance of the NC and Congress, who are constituents of the opposition grouping INDIA bloc, won 48 of the 90 seats at stake. The BJP with 29 seats emerged as the second largest party improving its all-time high tally of 25 in 2014 elections. — (PTI)

Srinagar : Officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPS) have publicly expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary of the Home Department, and the Director General of Police for their visionary leadership in restructuring the JKPS cadre. This long-awaited reform comes after a seven-year wait, marking a significant milestone for the police service.

The new rules not only honor the contributions of the officers but also highlight the unwavering commitment of the entire police force, which has been pivotal in countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and maintaining peace in the region.

“This progressive step serves as a powerful reminder of the trust placed in us,” stated a senior JKPS officer. “It motivates us to continue our service with greater dedication and commitment.”

The restructuring is expected to enhance the morale of the officer cadre, injecting renewed vigor into their mission to serve the public and ensure the safety and welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the nation as a whole.

JKPS officers reaffirm their steadfast commitment to safeguarding peace and security in the region, pledging to uphold their duty with honor and integrity.

Srinagar, Oct 11 : National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah Friday said that it will submit letter of support to Lieutenant Governor on Saturday to form the government as soon as possible.

Speaking with reporter at his residence, Abdullah, said the party has received letter of support from Congress, its alliance partner, to stake claim for government formation.

He said that election is over now and their focus would be on rebuilding J&K with development, employment and other important elements—(KNO)

As a significant move, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has introduced new guidelines for the recruitment of police officers under the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules, 2024. The updated regulations were outlined in a government notification (SO 500), officially bringing the new rules into effect.

The recruitment process has been streamlined under the directive of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, leveraging powers conferred by the Constitution of India. The fresh guidelines aim to regulate the recruitment and promotion of officers across various cadres within the Jammu and Kashmir Police Gazetted Service.

According to the new rules, recruitment will be conducted through both direct appointments and promotions. Direct recruitment will be managed by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), while promotions will be overseen by the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC).

The newly classified cadres under the service include General, Telecommunication, Ministerial, Stenography, Photography, Police Transport Workshop, and Arms/Ammunition. Two selection committees, led by senior officials such as the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, have been established to supervise promotions and placements within the department.

These reforms replace the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules of 2002, offering a more structured and transparent process to strengthen the region’s police force. The new rules are now officially in force and will be implemented as per the government’s notification.(TDD)

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Srinagar — The Meteorological Centre Srinagar Friday said the few higher reaches of J&K will likely to receive light snowfall during October 16-17.

It also predicted dry weather till October 15. From October 11-15 the weather conditions will likely to remain dry, the MeT official said.

He said from October 16-17 there will be generally cloudy with light rain (light snow at few higher reaches) with thunder at scattered places of Kashmir and isolated places of Jammu division.

From October 18-19 there is a possibility of partly to generally cloudy weather with possibility of spell of very light rain at isolated places of Kashmir division.

“Light snow over few higher reaches with thunder/gusty winds at isolated places during October 16-17,” the official added.