Polling for Phase-II of Panchayat Polls-2018 will be held tomorrow at 2179 polling stations across the state, including 828 in Kashmir and 1351 in Jammu Division. The timing for polling is from 8 am to 2 pm.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Shaleen Kabra,4014 candidates are in the fray for 281Sarpanch and 1286 Panch seats in Phase-II. He said 90Sarpanchs and 1069Panchs have already been elected unopposed in Phase-II.

Kabra said 601 polling stations have been categorized as hypersensitive including 490 in Kashmir Division and 196 in Jammu Division.

He said in the areas going to polls in the Phase-II, electorate of 329818 will be voting for Sarpanch constituencies 207796 for Panch constituencies. He said Photo Voter Slips have been distributed among the voters to inform them of their polling station.

Kabra said Basic Minimum Facilities (BMF) have been ensured in all the polling stations across the State. Photo Voter Slips have been distributed among the voters to inform them of their polling stations.

He said senior government officers have been appointed as General Observers to oversee the smooth, fair and orderly conduct of Panchayat Elections, 2018. Also, Expenditure Observers are keeping a watch on the expenditure by the candidates. In addition, for the poll day, Micro Observers have been placed in polling stations, particularly those considered hypersensitive. Besides, the Zonal and Sector Magistrates too have been deployed.

CEO said Control Rooms have been established in all the districts across the State to respond promptly to any complaints of violation of the Model Code of Conduct as also to disseminate information to the public. Security arrangements have been made including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

He said the Government has declared holiday on the day of poll in the panchayat areas going to polls so as to enable the voters to cast their vote. He said special casual leave shall also be granted to the employees who have to go to other areas to exercise their right to franchise. As per standing guidelines, the Central Government offices shall not be closed but the employees who are electors of the poll going wards and desire to exercise their franchise shall be offered reasonable facility to do so.

The Chief Electoral Officer, J&K appealed the voters to come forward and exercise their right to franchise in order to choose their local self-government to address their local needs.

A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier was killed and three others injured in an explosion in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

A police officer told GNS that a blast took place at a Border Out Post (BOP) in Samba sector.

In the explosion, four BSF troopers were injured critically and were immediately shifted to nearby hospital for medical attention, he said.

However, among the injured one critically wounded trooper succumbed later. The Injured troopers were later shifted to military hospital Satwari Jammu.

Sources said that there was landmine blast but police said that nature of the explosion was being ascertained.

“A case has been registered and further investigations into the matter has been initiated to ascertain the nature of blast,” the official added.

Srinagar: Authorities on Monday allowed one-way traffic on Mughal road, connecting south Kashmir’s Shopian with Poonch district.

The thoroughfare was closed on November 11 following fresh snowfall and SDM Surankote Mohammad Salim Quesrhi told GNS that commuters are strictly bound to cross Peer Ki Gali between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (GNS)

Srinagar: Police on Monday claimed to have identified those behind circulation of the recent “execution videos” in south Kashmir.

“Those who are propagating brutal killing videos have been identified and soon action will be taken against them,” Inspector General of Police S.P Pani said.

The top police officer of Kashmir said that cyber domain used by militants for these “gruesome acts stand identified and they will be brought before the law.”

He further said: “These execution videos of innocent civilians in Kashmir is reflection of ‘terror’ crimes.”

Asked who was behind these killings, the IGP said that these “terror crimes” and the accused shall be brought before law. Unidentified gunmen last week killed two persons in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama and later circulated their videos

Former Chief Secretary Muhammmad Iqbal Khanday passed away on Monday.

The 1978 batch IAS officer Khanday held various positions in the state government before taking the top position.

Khanday in his career held a number of positions in different capacities. He was a Deputy Commissioner, a director and then headed planning – for a long time, tourism, health, home, finance, R&B, besides heading the IMPA.

Khanday, held several key positions in his career, was also principal secretary to the former chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Chairman Mohd Ashraf Sehrai paid glorious tributes to the slain Zainapora Shopian militants identified as Yawar Wani of Batnoor Pulwama and Nawaz Ahmed of Rebban Shopian and expressed pain and grief with the bereaved family.

In a statement issued to KNS, Sehrai, said that the unprecedented sacrifices of Kashmiri people for Kashmir cause would not go waste. He said that India could not silence the voices of Kashmiris through use of brute force.

Chairman Tehreek-e-Hurriyat said, “the indigenous uprising of the Kashmiris has been met, as usual, with brutal repression by India’s occupation force of over half a million soldiers. These brutalities will not suppress the spirit of the Kashmiris; it will only intensify their anger and fortify their determination to see India end its occupation of Kashmir.”

Sehrai said, “a new generation of Kashmiris has risen spontaneously against India’s illegal occupation – demanding freedom from occupation. a popular and peaceful freedom movement, led by Kashmiris, young and old, men and women, armed only with an undying faith in the legitimacy of their cause, and a hunger for freedom in their hearts. The demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination, as promised to them by several Security Council resolutions. Our struggle is a legitimate one for liberation from alien occupation.”

He said, “International law and the declarations of the United Nations on Self Determination, give the Kashmiri people the right to struggle for their freedom. Every year, the General Assembly unanimously adopts the resolution, which reaffirms “the right of all peoples to self-determination” and calls on the states concerned to immediately end their occupation and “all acts of repression.”To end this , steps should be taken practically and the United Nations remains an indispensable Organization to restore order and ensure global peace, stability and prosperity. Its principles remain the crucial pillars of international legality, the guide for the conduct of Member States and the guarantor of the legitimate rights of all nations and peoples. The UN must regain its credibility as the central instrument for the promotion of peace, prosperity and liberty.”

Former Chief Minister and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday termed the killings of civilian youth in Shopian barbaric and bestial, stating that the people of the state in unison must save youngsters from such catastrophe.

Huzaif Kuttay, a 19-year-old resident of Kulgam was abducted and his body was found with his throat slit. Earlier, Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri was abducted and killed on Thursday night.

While meeting the party functionaries from Wachi and Pulwama, Mehbooba said words aren’t enough to condemn the killing of teenagers and that such acts of brutality have no place in Kashmir which in the entire world for centuries is known for its generosity and kindness and has been an abode of revered Sufis and saints.

Terming the killing of youth worrisome and perturbing, the PDP chief stated that no religion on earth permits any person or a group to commit such heinous and sadistic acts and terrify the peace loving people. “We as a society need to rise above party affiliations to save youngsters from becoming victims of the unending cycle of violence. Words are not enough to condemn the killing of the teenagers in Shopian. Our heart goes out to the families at this hour of irreparable loss. The entire state is in shock due to such an unfortunate incident,” Mehbooba said.

Other PDP leaders who were present during the meeting include PDP Vice President Abdul Rahman Veeri, Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Aijaz Mir, Mohammad Yosuf and others.

Kashmir Journalists Association has come in support of journalist Raashid Hassan and condemned threats to his life being issued allegedly by an Rehbar-e-Taleem teacher following his story on appointment scam of Education department in south Kashmir’s Shopian district .

Kashmir Journalist Association (KJA) believes that such acts are the outcome of intolerance and frustration among the corrupt officials who consider honest and factual journalism as threat to their ill-practices.

Raashid, who works with Kashmir Reader newspaper from Shopian, has been abused and threatened by an ReT teacher namely Ashiq Ahmad following his story ‘12 ReTs posted Resource Persons in Shopian’ which appeared in the newspaper on Saturday.

KJA wants to make it clear that if anything untoward happens to Raashid the ReT teacher and the Education Department will be responsible for it.

The journalist body has already brought this issue to the notice of Director Education Kashmir, G N Itoo.

We again reiterate that strict action must be taken against the teacher so that it remains a deterrent and discourages officials from issuing threats.

KJA also urges agencies to take congnisance of the threats issued by the teacher against Raashid so as to ensure that the reporter remains safe.