Umaisar Gull Ganie

Kulgam, Oct 08 : Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami has secured his fifth consecutive victory in the Kulgam constituency, defeating Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Sayar Reshi.

Tarigami has represented the constituency since 1996, previously winning elections in 2002, 2008, 2014 and now in 2024. He received 33,390 votes, while Reshi, an independent candidate supported by the banned politico-religious organization Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), garnered 25,639 votes.

A total of ten candidates contested in the Kulgam constituency—(KNO)

Tauseef Ahmad

Bandipora, Oct 08:- National conference Sonawari constituency candidate Hilal Akabr lone has won his seat from Sonawari constituency of Bandipora district.

Hilal Akbar, son of Mohd Akbar lone former speaker National conference was first time contesting polls on JKNC ticket.

Hilal was joined by former chief ministers Omar Abdullah in his campaign where Omar appealed to voters to vote in favor of Hilal long to keep BJP away in Kashmir while alleging AIP’s Engineer Rasheed for receiving special treatment from the center.

Hilal secured 31320 votes out of 84655 votes polled was followed by Awami Ittehad Party’s Yasir Resgi with 17703 in the Sonawari constituency seat.

Tauseef Ahmad

Bandipora, Oct 08: In Kashmir region as Bharatiya Janata party was keeping all eyes on Gurez assembly seat National congress’s former Deputy speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan successfully retains his power for the fourth consecutive time.

Khan secured 8095 votes out of 17397, securing his win with 1046 votes.

Nazir Khan while speaking with the Kashmir Despatch said the BJP is nowhere on the ground in the border valley and says the lead is now impossible to cover.

“Thankful to the people of Gurez who chose me again. BJP has invested a lot on Gurez Bandipora seat. The defense minister himself visits Gurez also Tarung Chung visits for campaigning but now their hopes are destroyed to make entry in Kashmir.” he said.

Srinagar Oct 07 : Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J&K, Pandurang K Pole today said that the counting of votes for the General Elections to JK Assembly 2024 will commence at 8 AM on October 8, 2024 and 28 counting centres have been established for 90 assembly constituencies in 20 districts of the UT.

“There are 28 counting centres across the J&K and we are fully prepared for the counting,” P K Pole said. He added that all the EVMs are securely placed in the strong rooms of all district headquarters.

The CEO further remarked that comprehensive security arrangements have been made for the counting and three-tier security cover has been established around counting centres.

Pole stated that adequate checkpoints have been set up within a 100-meter perimeter of each counting centre and CCTV cameras have been installed in all strong rooms where the EVMs are stored to closely monitor all activities. “Unauthorized individuals will be restricted from entering these areas and CCTV cameras have been installed at the main entrance and throughout the entire premises of the counting centres to ensure comprehensive monitoring”, the CEO added.

Pole stated that the counting will begin at 8 AM on October 8 and Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after 30 minutes, adding that accurate information on each round of counting will be uploaded in a timely manner.

The CEO outlined that on the counting day, strong rooms will be opened in presence of candidates, their authorized representatives, Returning Officers (ROs)/Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), and ECI observers and the entire process will be videographed. He added that mobile phones will not be allowed inside the counting centres.

Pole further said that two counting centres each have been set up for the Kupwara, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi Districts, three counting centres have been set up for migrants while one counting centre each has been established for the remaining districts, where the counting will take place. He added that to monitor the counting process, various counting observers have also been appointed by Election Commission of India.

The CEO highlighted that during the process, only authorized individuals, officials, or staff will be permitted inside and around the counting centres and the public and political party representatives are requested not to crowd the counting centres and check the results at home. He added that the results will also be available on the Election Commission of India’s website http://results.eci.in/ and Voter Helpline App.

Pole further said that Media centres have been set up at the counting centres for the press to access the latest updates, adding that only authorized personnel would be allowed entry into the counting centres. He also said that instructions have been given to closely monitor social media to prevent the spread of any rumours related to the counting.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir elections passed off peacefully on October 1, with 64 percent voter turnout. The national political parties, regional political parties have fielded candidates in all 90 seats besides record number of independents are also in fray.

Mubashir Aalam Wani

Srinagar, Oct 07 : As the counting of votes is scheduled on Tuesday-October 08, the political careers of more than half a dozen veteran political leaders are at a critical juncture. Their experience and electoral history may give them an edge, but with new challengers emerging, the results could signal a shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape.

As per the details available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Jammu and Kashmir is eagerly awaiting the results of its 2024 Assembly elections, and several veteran political figures find themselves at a crossroads. These elections, held after a decade-long hiatus, have pitted seasoned politicians—many of whom are hoping for a “hat-trick” or even a fourth and fifth consecutive win—against new faces eager to reshape the political landscape. The political careers of over half a dozen former MLAs and ministers are now on the line, as their long-standing credibility hangs in the balance.

Among those seeking a third consecutive victory is Ajay Sadotra of the National Conference, a two-time MLA from the Marh constituency. Joining him in this bid are other notable figures, such as former ministers Sham Lal Sharma (Jammu North), Surjit Singh (Samba), and Raman Bhalla (Gandhinagar), all of whom have held their seats for two terms and hope to solidify their political legacy.

However, the stakes are even higher for political veterans like Tara Chand, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, who is eyeing his fourth win from the Chhamb constituency. Chand, who has represented Chhamb three times—1996, 2002, and 2008—has a storied history in J&K politics, having also served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. After a brief defection to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s camp in 2022, Chand rejoined the Congress and now seeks to extend his electoral success.

Similarly, Harsh Dev Singh, the former education minister and long-time representative of Ramnagar, is hoping to revive his political career. After serving as the president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and later joining the Aam Aadmi Party in 2022, Singh returned to the Panthers Party in 2023 and is again contesting elections.

In Kishtwar, Ghulam Mohammad Saruri is aiming for a comeback after parting ways with the Congress in 2022. Saruri, a former minister with a consistent electoral record in Indrawal since 2002, is now running as an independent candidate. Meanwhile, Choudhary Lal Singh, who has represented Basohli multiple times and served in the PDP-BJP coalition government, also remains a prominent contender.

Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, known for his integrity and long-standing affiliation with the CPI (M), seeks a fifth term from Kulgam. Tarigami’s standing in his constituency remains strong, but the election will test his continued influence in the region.

Tariq Hameed Karra, former MP from Srinagar and now State Congress President, is another heavyweight with a storied past. His notable victory over National Conference stalwart Dr. Farooq Abdullah in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections marked a turning point in J&K politics, and Karra is once again in the fray, aiming to replicate his success this time in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

Rounding out the list of seasoned politicians are National Conference leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mubarak Gul. Sagar, who has represented Srinagar’s Khaniyar constituency since 1996, and Gul, who has held the Eidgah seat since 1983, are both fighting for their constituencies’ trust once more—(KNO)

Srinagar, Oct 07 : Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Monday chaired a meeting of Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) during which he emphasised on optimal utilization of available slots of admissions in various professional courses including Engineering and B.Ed being offered by the colleges in the UT.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, GAD; Commissioner Secretary, IT; Secretary H&ME; Secretary, SDD; Secretary, ARI & Trainings; Chairperson, BOPEE and other concerned officers.

While taking note of the admission process by the professional board, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the concerned to look into the causes that results in less uptake of certain courses being offered by the professional colleges here. He called for carrying out a detailed analysis of the reasons behind this phenomenon and addressing the same at an earliest. He also suggested to list out the courses and colleges facing this situation and look into the position of faculty, infrastructure and other ancillary facilities available for imparting training in these specific trades.

Dulloo urged the higher education department to make more efforts to create awareness among the students so that no seat remains vacant in these colleges. He said that the candidates are moving outside UT for seeking admission in professional courses, therefore it is time to introspect and take corrective measures wherever necessary.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed development of online counselling portal for the Board, which is expected to be made ready by the end of this month by the NIC. He directed for launching it at an earliest so that from next session the admissions are exclusively made through this portal only.

Regarding the admission process the Chairperson, JKBOPEE, Minu Mahajan, apprised the meeting that the timeline for filling of remaining seats as per the directions were issued and extended upto 31st of this month.

Giving details, it was added that out of the 1107 MBBS seats under UT quota 100% admissions had been made. Similarly, in the courses of BDS, MDS, BAMS, BUMS, BPT, B.Sc Nursing, almost all seats had been filled by the Board through counselling process. Besides, the courses like B.E/B.Tech having around 600 seats in government colleges and B.Ed having 330 seats in government run institutions had got 410 and 229 seats filled till date.

It was further revealed that certain relaxations had been given in admission process besides extending the cut off date for easement of the students. It was added that vigorous information campaigns had also been launched so that the capacity of these institutions is utilized optimally and no seat remains vacant there.