October 4, 2018 | Kashmir POST

Unopposed, BJP wins majority in Shopian, Candidates moved to ‘Secure’ places in J&K

October 4, 2018 Editor

While candidates in fray for the urban local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir have been moved to “secure places” after the names of some went viral on the social media, the BJP has secured a majority in the militancy-infested Shopian district with its 13 candidates elected unopposed. Twenty municipalities will go to the polls on October 13. But the strength of candidates being insufficient, voters in only four of these municipalities will cast their vote. “Many candidates will be elected unopposed. With no nominations, most wards will remain unrepresented,”…

Four days left for voting, but poll din missing across Kashmir Valley

October 4, 2018 Editor

The municipal elections are starting from October 8, but the familiar din attached to campaigning is missing in the Valley. The Congress and BJP have embarked on a hushed campaign to woo voters in the Valley due to security concerns. The two main parties contesting the elections after a boycott by the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have given the rallies a miss and their campaigns are revolved around person-to-person contacts and meetings at secure areas. At the lawns of the guarded Circuit House close to the Gupkar Road…

Rupee sinks further, hits record low of 73.77 against US dollar

October 4, 2018 Editor

Rupee fell 43 paise against the dollar to hit a new all-time low of 73.77. The rupee on Wednesday plunged to breach the historic low of 73 level as soaring crude oil prices fuelled worries over capital outflows and widening current account deficit. The domestic currency closed at a record low of 73.34, down by 43 paise or 0.59 per cent at the interbank foreign exchange. In the day trade, the rupee crashed to its all-time low of 73.42 per dollar as crude oil prices breached the USD 85 per…

No Elections in 169 Kashmir wards, 71 BJP candidates elected unopposed

October 4, 2018 Editor

At least 169 municipal wards in Kashmir will have no polls. One candidate withdrew from the elections on Wednesday, the last date of withdrawal of nominations for the third phase of the polls. As per the latest figures, at least 179 candidates in Kashmir are likely to win the elections without contest, while 250 wards will face election in the next two weeks. According to official figures of the chief electoral office, at least 426 nominations were found valid from the 14 municipalities of J&K falling under the third phase…

NC instigating Kashmiris against migrants for their participation in local body polls: BJP

October 4, 2018 Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit Wednesday accused the National Conference of instigating locals in the Valley against Kashmiri pandit migrants for their participation in local bodies polls. “Today, when some of them have gone to Kashmir to exercise their right in elections or contest polls, the NC is instigating locals that they are coming here to rule them. It is a lie being spread by the NC,” state BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta told reporters here. He alleged that the NC, which is the oldest political party in the…

Imtiyaz Parrey, Kuka Parrey’s son to win ULB polls unopposed from volatile Hajin

October 4, 2018 Editor

Notorious Ikhwan commander Kuka Parrey’s son will be elected unopposed from volatile Hajin town in the upcoming ULB polls. According to sources, Imtiyaz Ahmad Parrey son of Muhammad Yousuf Parrey alias Kuka Parrey, has filed nomination papers from two municipal wards in Hajin town on behalf of the Congress party. Parrey is also the district president of the Congress party. Along with Imtiyaz, seven more candidates of the Congress party will be elected unopposed from Hajin municipality. “All these candidates being unopposed will automatically win the elections. Neither BJP nor…

To protest ‘Poll Drama’ JRL calls for shutdown on 8 Oct

October 4, 2018 Editor

The Joint Resistance Leaders (JRL) of Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Wednesday asked people to observe a complete shutdown across Jammu and Kashmir on October 8 to protest the commencement of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) and Panchayat election “drama being foisted upon them”. “Besides, people are urged to observe subsequent protest shutdown in their own respective areas as per the poll schedule on October 10, 13, and 16 respectively and show their complete disassociation and resentment against it,” Geelani and Mirwaiz said in a joint statement. “As…

Four candidates held hostage by BJP MLC, not allowed to withdraw nominations: Families

October 4, 2018 Editor

Four candidates from Pahalgam area, who had filed nomination papers for 3rd phase of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections, were prevented from withdrawing their nominations from Pahalgam Municipal committee by a BJP leader, their relatives alleged on Wednesday. The relatives of four candidates staged protest in the office of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag against the alleged “kidnapping” of the candidates. “The four candidates, all of whom are affiliated with BJP, intend to withdraw their nomination papers. Among them include two females. They, however, are being prevented from doing so,” they alleged.…

Blot on democracy, BJP importing candidates to Kashmir: Congress

October 4, 2018 Editor

With a majority of the candidates declared elected unopposed in the urban local bodies elections in south Kashmir, the Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of “importing” nominees and making a mockery of the grassroots-level democracy. The BJP, however, termed the charges as “baseless and unfounded” and rubbished the allegations as the Congress’ attempt to hide its failure to field candidates in Kashmir. Facing the heat for making it a virtual walkover for the BJP in the south Kashmir by not fielding candidates in most of the seats, J&K Pradesh…