Post-poll options being worked out
Cong team to visit J&K for Govt formation

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct. 9: In a swift turn of events,the Congress supremo, Ms Sonia Gandhi, mandated a high-level team of her party managers to assess the possibility of forming Government in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and independents. The team, which will visit the State during the current week, will be headed by Dr Manmohan Singh.

Dr Singh will be accompanied, among others, by Congress general secretary, Ms Ambika Soni, who is incharge of Jammu and Kashmir. The operations by the Congress High Command were launched amid reports in J&K and elsewhere about the fractured verdict, which may make it diffficult for the National Confefrence (NC) to get a clear mandate.

The announcement of the decision to send the Congress team to the State came at a time when the NC president, Mr Omar Abdullah cryptically remarked in Srinagar: "Even though it may be perverse thinking, it would be nice to see Ghulam Nabi Azad, Saifuddin Soz, Mehbooba Mufti fighting for the Chief Minister’s chair".

More significant than this was Mr Abdullah’s changed stance. From his earlier assertion that his party would bag "at least 50 seats", he chose to convey the altered message—that is, the NC will not rush for Government formation if the party does not get a "simple majority" on its own.

Amid the battle of wits that started with the conclusion of the four-phase Assembly poll, major parties have started working out post-poll options. All this amid predictions of a hung Assembly with small parties and independents expected to hold the key in Government formation. These predictions have led to hectic activity in Congress and PDP circles, besides the National Conference.

Of all the political groups involved, the Congress took a leading part in giving currency to the prediction of a hung Assembly.No wonder, the party spokesman, Mr Jaipal Reddy, told mediapersons in Delhi on Wednesday: "It shall be our endeavour to form a Government with the support of independents and likeminded parties". Stating that the NC couldn’t be counted among the likeminded parties, Mr Reddy said that the Congress found the PDP to be likeminded group.

Will the Congress take support of independent who broke away from the Hurriyat Conference to contest the elections? Mr Reddy’s reply was pretty significant. "All those who contested the polls had sworn by the Constitution", he said and posed: "Then why one should not have alliance with them".

Front runners have already started rivetting their attention on the counting of votes. At the same time, the battle-scarred parties were found exuding optimism of reaching the magic 44 mark in the 87-member Assembly either alone or through post-poll alliances.

Political future of the State will crystalise on Thursday with the completion of counting. This notwithstanding, the Congress and the PDP led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed appear optimistic of doing well. Like the Congress, BJP has also predicted a hung Assembly.

Fate of stalwarts to be decided today
Strict security measures for counting

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Authorities have enforced strict security measures including air surveillance to thwart any attempt by militants to disrupt counting of votes at 15 centres tomorrow of the just concluded elections to the 87-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Fate of 710 candidates, including National Conference Chief Ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti and several other political stalwarts, is sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines, used for the first time in the State in the four-phased polling spread over September and October.

Counting will begin at 0800 hours tomorrow at all district headquarters and the first result is expected by noon.

Two candidates have already been declared elected unopposed in Leh district. Counting will be held at three centres in Doda district which registered the highest 52 per cent voting.

Fearing suicide attacks by militants, Jammu and Kashmir police assisted by paramilitary forces have thrown impregnable security ring around all the 15 counting centres.

Highly-placed sources told PTI that helicopters would be pressed into service in strategic areas to prevent any rocket attack by militants.

The security personnel have sanitised the areas around the counting centres and have taken up position on surrounding buildings.

The Election Commission has deployed nearly 60 observers for the entire State to monitor the counting.

"We have intelligence inputs that militants will try to disrupt the counting. There might be fidayeen (suicide) attacks. Therefore, we have cordoned off all the areas falling in the radius of one km of the counting centres in the district headquarters", Kashmir Police Inspector General K Rajendera told PTI here today.

This has been done to thwart any militant attempt to target the counting centres with rockets, he said.

Besides additional forces have been deployed and security rings thrown around these centres to ensure smooth conduct of the counting process, Rajendra said.

He said police was all set to see that militants do not succeed in their ill designs.

Counting of polls will be held at Anantnag, Kupwara, Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama and Budgam in the Valley and Kargil and six district headquarters of Jammu.

Police has also made arrangements to deal with any unwarranted situation after the announcement of election results, he said.

The four-phase polling process for the Assembly elections ended yesterday registering an overall voters turnout of 44 per cent.

This is for the first time in the electoral history of the State that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used in the poll process. The counting staff, including 140 counting supervisors derived from various departments were imparted necessary training for compilation of counting figures of EVMs, an official spokesman said.

He said the EVM experts had acquainted the staff with the technique and know-how about handling the machine.

The spokesman said that counting would be held in all the district headquarters but there could be a slight change depending on security requirements.

All the EVMs had been deposited in strong rooms of the district headquarters with the security personnel maintaining bird’s eye to thwart any attempt of militants to sabotage the last leg of the democratic exercise in the State.

Tomorrow’s result would decide the electoral fate of National Conference president and its Chief Ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah, contesting from Ganderbal Assembly constituency and Mehbooba Mufti, vice president of Peoples Democratic Party from Pahalgam Assembly constituency.

The fate of Ali Mohammed Sagar (Khanyar), Ghulam Mohideen Shah (Batmaloo), Mian Altaf (Kangan), Abdul Rahim Rather (Chrar-e-Sharief), Mohammed Shafi (Uri), Mustafa Kamal (Gulmarg), Chaudhary Ramzan (Handwara), Ajat Shatru Singh (Nagrota), Bashir Ahmed Negroo (Pulwama), Sakina Itoo (Noorabad), Peerzada Ghulam Ahmed Shah (Devsar) and Speaker of the outgoing State Assembly Abdul Ahad Vakil (Sopore) would also be decided.

Among the prominent opposition candidates, whose fate would be decided, were Mangat Ram Sharma (Congress) from Jammu (West), Kuka Parrey (Sonawari), Rebel Peoples Conference candidate Ghulam Mohideen Sofi (Handwara), Ghulam Hassan Mir (PDP) from Gulmarg, rebel NC leader and now Congress candidate Mohammed Shafi Bhat from Amira Kadal Assembly seat.

5 infiltrators among 11 killed

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Alert troops scuttled yet another attempt by Pakistan to send heavily armed and trained militants into this side before the onset of winter when they gunned down five infiltrators in northern sector last evening.

In other militancy related incidents, a Special Police Officer (SPO) and four militants were killed while militants attacked security pickets with rifle grenades across the Valley overnight.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said troops guarding northern sector noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) last evening under the cover of darkness.

However, when the militants reached near a particular area in our side at Bandar Gugaldar, they were challenged and asked to surrender. Instead they opened fire which was returned by the troops, he said adding the encounter continued for several hours.

Later bodies of five infiltrators were recovered from the encounter site. Three ak rifles, five magazines, one UBGL, eight grenades, four RPG rockets, 36 claymore mines, one wireless set and two rucksacks were recovered from the slain infiltrators.

He said besides eatables made in Pakistan, troops also recovered photographs of Osama bin Laden and Urdu literature.

Spokesman said troops also killed another Pakistani infiltrators immediately after he sneaked into this side from PoK at Z-Gali in the same sector. One AK rifle was recovered from the slain militant.

He said security forces killed a militant during a search operation at Mujpatheri in the central Kashmir district of Budgam last evening. One AK rifle, three magazines and one wireless set were recovered during the search operation. An official spokesman said militants shot dead a SPO Hakim Uddin at Ganderbal last evening.

He said bodies of Abdul Majid Dar, Mushtaq Ahamed Dar and Mohammad Maqbool Khatana were recovered from the house of one Mohammad Sultan Kokar at Kokerbagh in the central Kashmir district of Budgam last night. They were allegedly killed by a militant Mohammad Bhat, he said.

Militants lobbed a hand grenade towards a security force vehicle at main Bazar Pattan, on Srinagar-Uri highway around 1125 hours today. However, the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside causing injuries to six civilian.

The injured were admitted to hospital where the condition of one of them is stated to be very critical.

Militants attacked a security force picket with rifle grenades at Kathi Darwaza in down town city last night.

Another security force picket was also attacked with rifle grenades at Pahalgam.

However, the grenades missed the security force pickets and exploded without causing any damage.

Body of one Ghulam Mohammad Tarakasi, who was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen last night from Tangmarg, was recovered this morning in the same area. (UNI)

Polls fair but not free due to militant threats

NEW DELHI, Oct 9: The just-concluded elections in Jammu and Kashmir were "fair" but "not free" because of militant threats and violence, a renowned social organisation said here today.

The Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), which deputed a team to witness the four-phased elections in the militancy-hit State, said there were some complaints of coercion by security forces which might be "isolated events and cannot be generalised".

The team also found that the Election Commission enjoyed "good credibility" but the arrangements, particularly infrastructural, by the state administration were "not adequate", ISS Director George Mathew said while releasing a report compiled on its team’s observations at a press conference here.

"It appeared that the voters were keen to vote but were afraid of the militants. To protect themselves from the militants, they needed to say that the security forces had forced them to vote," the ISS said.

On allegations of security forces coercing people to vote, the ISS said "it is significant that even those who complained about being forced by the security forces were not frightened to speak freely and candidly in front of them. The expression on their faces was not one of fear. They appeared to be jubiliant and enthusiastic about voting."

"The elections were fair. But it was not necessarily free, as the fear of militants was all pervasive. Militants had threatened to disrupt the polls and did not remain content with that. They organised a series of attacks against political parties contesting the polls, security forces and the ordinary voters, using all kinds of weapons and incendiary materials," Mathew said.

He pointed out that militants resorted to large-scale violence and 830 people were killed in the State since the commencement of the poll process.

"It is against this backdrop that we describe the elections as not free for the people," said Mathew, who himself travelled across two districts of Anantnag and Pulwama during the third phase of polling on October one.

Justifying the team’s observations that the election was held in a fair manner, he said "there is no disputing that many constituencies in the Kashmir valley recorded low polling with some booths recording zero per cent voting and some having single-digit turnout. This only proves the fairness of the election process as no attempt was made to jack up the polling percentage."

"It is a testimony of the impartiality of the election officials, who did not want the election process to be vitiated in any manner," he said.

On the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), first time in the State, he said it was a "mixed bag".

"While it added novelty to the elections and the voters were generally happy with the system, some people expressed apprehensions that the EVMs might facilitate rigging," he said, adding at some places voters were "baffled" on how to use these.

An NGO RLEK, while lauding the Election Commission for holding free and fair polls in the highly complex and difficult circumstances in Jammu and Kashmir, said the polls were not without fear which had led to low turnout in parts of Kashmir valley.

In a report released today it alleged that "ruling party misused state finances and resources to mobilise voters in its favour".

The NGO said the results would not represent all sections in view of the boycott by those who felt polls would not help resolve the Kashmir tangle.

"Such a large scale boycotted is highly significant and should neither be ignored nor overlooked. Neither should those who boycotted the elections be considered as anti-nationals but their opinion should be seriously considered", the report said.

RLEK, whose 25 members were authorised by the EC to witness the polls, said there were discrepancies in slips issued to voters and the electorate were not properly informed about the EVMs. (PTI)

PM arrives in Copenhagen, to take up handover of Abu Salem

COPENHAGEN (DENMARK), Oct 9: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrived here tonight to attend the India-EU summit during which he is expected to seek the support of the European leaders in pressing Portugal to hand over underworld don Abu Salem besides sensitising them on India’s concern on Pakistan-sponsored cross border terrorism

The Prime Minister, who flew in here from Cyprus leading a high level delegation that included External Affairs Minister and Disinvestment Minister is also expected to brief the EU leaders on the satisfactory completion of elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan’s attempt to disrupt them.

Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal told reporters on board the Prime Minister’s flight en route to Copenhagen that while India was already in touch with individual countries on the Salem issue, the need for his being brought to India is expected to be reinforced during the talks Prime Minister would be having with EU leaders.

He said at the political level there is full support of Portugal, a member of 15-nation grouping, on the issue but there were certain legal procedures to be followed.

Asked about New Delhi’s assurance to Portugal that Salem would not be handed out death sentence once he is brought to India, he said such provision is there in extradition treaties.

Maintaining that EU is extremely sensitive on the issue of terrorism, Sibal said Jammu and Kashmir would definitely come up during discussion in the context of cross border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan.

Shortly before Vajpayee’s arrival, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose country now holds the revolving EU presidency said in a statement that he expected Kashmir and Pakistan to figure high on the agenda of the summit tomorrow.

"It is of the utmost importance that tensions in the area should be relieved. India and Pakistan ought to establish a dialogue on security matters. This applies also to the situation in Kashmir," Rasmussen said. He said one diplomat even said he was astonished at the level of participation in the elections.

The diplomats recognised the importance of elections as well as the positive perception of the willingness and keenness of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the political process.

On the question of resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, Sibal said there was no automaticity about this with the successful conclusion of the Assembly polls in Kashmir.

"Pakistan has failed the litmus test but if it is still willing to see reason, stopped cross-border terrorism, then we can consider the question of talks. But there is no indication of this so far," he said.

"Pakistan has set all doors and windows closed by continuing to support terrorism in Kashmir," the Foreign Secretary said.

Referring to Indo-European summit, he said New Delhi’s concern over increasing protectionist trends would be conveyed during the talks. "This is the challenge India’s economic diplomacy has to face."

The summit is expected to consider measures to increase trade with the EU, India’s biggest trading partner, accounting for 30 percent of its imports and exports.

"In the area of trade, India holds a vast potential, which we must develop to our mutual advantage," the Danish Prime Minister said.

"Relations between the EU and India are developing. The summit will provide an opportunity to strengthen the co-operation between the EU and India" he said.

"We wish to develop both political dialogue and economic cooperation with India," he added.

Cooperation agreements would cover trade and investment, science and technology, customs and an agreement on maritime transport, the Danish leader said. (PTI)

Formation of JKDPF hypocritical: APHC

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Describing the recent formation of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic People’s Forum by 15 independent candidates as a "hypocritical" step, Hurriyat Conference today said it was not going to make any difference to the political situation in the State.

"The Forum is not going to make any difference. They are nothing but a bunch of people from different backgrounds who have come together to cook their own broth," Hurriyat chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat told PTI.

Bhat said they sought votes on the plank of freedom of the State but they had contested elections under the framework of the Indian Constitution.

"What else is hypocracy?," the Hurriyat chairman asked.

"We don’t support this kind of endeavour even if they were former members of our constituent Peoples Conference," he said.

"If they want to join mainstream politics under the Indian Constitution then they should say so and not cheat people of the State by making false promises," Bhat said.

JKDFP have Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi, expelled from Hurriyat Conference’s constituent Peoples Conference for contesting polls, as the convenor and another independent candidate Abdul Haq Khan as spokesman.

The candidates of JKDFP, including Sofi, said the broad-based Forum was formed to present the views of the independents in one voice. (PTI)

Minority panel to meet new JK Govt

JAIPUR, Oct 9: The National Minorities Commission (NMC) will hold a two-day meeting with new Government in Jammu and Kashmir from October 30 to sort out long pending issue of resettlement of Kashmir migrants, NMC vice-chairman Trilochan Singh said today.

"The first agenda of the new Government should be to bring three lakh Kashmiri migrants — Pandits, Sikhs and others— back to the State and rehabilitate them", Mr Singh said.

The NMC would also take a delegation of Kashmiri migrants from New Delhi with it to take up the issue with the Government there, he said, while talking to reporters here.

"Migrants were willing to go back to their home State, provided they were assured of their safety", the Commission vice-chairman said.

As many as 70,000 Sikhs were in the Kashmir valley, but a good number of them had shifted to Jammu as they had become "shaky" due to the prevailing terrorism, he said.

Mr Singh said the Commission had already discussed the Kashmiri migrants issue with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, the Kashmir cell and the State Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. (UNI)

Another Coop scandal hits AP, Chairman, wife arrested

HYDERABAD, Oct 9: City police today arrested Chairman of mother theresa Co-operative Urban Bank (MTCUB) T Charles and his wife Arpana Charles on the charge of duping depositors in yet another scandal hitting the urban co-operative banking industry in Andhra Pradesh.

As scores of depositors continued to mob the bank premises at Narayanguda demanding return of their deposits, the police arrested the couple under Section 420 of IPC and seized bank documents.

Investigations revealed ‘serious irregularities’ including sanction of term loans in the name of bogus companies with total loans and advances disbursed amounting to Rs 3.9 crore as against the deposits of Rs 3.5 crore, police said.

A police team from central crime station probing the case found that most of the loans and advances were bogus and public deposits were siphoned off.

The verification of cash credit accounts and term loan accounts showed that in many of the files, the addresses of borrowers, purpose of loan and loan appraisal reports were not available and most of the loans were unsecured.

Interestingly, the employees’ associations of several Government departments were among the major depositors in the scam-tainted bank.

The deposits by Bank of India Employees Association stood at Rs 20 lakh, Secretariat Employees Co-operative Credit Society Rs 15 lakh, Accountant General Office Employees Association Rs 15 lakh and Trinity Co-operative Bank Rs 25 lakh, police said. (PTI)

Pak has closedall doors for dialogue: India

COPENHAGEN, Oct 9: India today charged Pakistan with closing all doors for negotiations by continuing support to cross-border terrorism and said the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were an "acid test" for Islamabad in which it had miserably failed.

Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal told reporters here that there was no change in Pakistan’s "negative attitude" as was witnessed during the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir which concluded yesterday.

"The conduct of peaceful elections (in Jammu and Kasshmir) was an acid test for Pakistan in which it miserably failed," he said.

Mr Sibal said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would take up with European Union (EU) leaders India’s concern over Pakistan’s continued support to terrorism.

The EU fully understood India’s position on terrorism and had not shied away from asking Pakistan to put a permanent end to cross-border terrorism and allow free and fair Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

The Foreign Secretary said the EU diplomats who had gone to Kashmir, were astonished to see that the elections were conducted in a free and fair manner with no coersion used to bring voters to polling booths. (UNI)

EVMs, poll staff airlifted to Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Several helicopters were pressed into service today to bring Electronic Voting Machines and poll staff from far-flung areas to the district headquarters in Doda, official sources said here.

Helicopters made about 30 sorties since this morning to bring the EVMs and poll staff from 49 polling stations in remote areas of Kishtwar, Marwah and Banihal towns, they said.

Election material and polling and security staff were airdropped at these stations from October 5 to October 7, they said adding at some places where arrangements for landing of helicopters were not available, nearest helipads were used for the purpose.

Elections in the six constituencies of the mountainous and landlocked district of Doda were held yesterday when an estimated 52.63 per cent electorates cast their votes. The counting of votes will start at 0800 hours tomorrow.

Infant among 3 injured in Pak shelling

JAMMU, Oct 9 : Pakistani troops today targeted several Indian villages along the Line of Control with mortar shells injuring a one-and-a-half-year-old baby and two women in Poonch Sector, official sources said here.

Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling on Indian villages along the LoC in Balakote, Mendhar, Jangar, Krishnaghati, Choki Chora, Nowshera, Batalick, Drass, Thank and Northern Siachen areas of Jammu, Poonch and Ladakh sectors since last night, they told PTI here.

In Balakote, three civilians, Azmat Begum, Sitara and a one-and-a-half-year-old baby were injured when mortar shells rained over the area this morning, the sources said.

Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing in 31 border outposts and civilian areas in RS Pura, Akhnoor, Hiranagar and Samba along the International Border in Jammu and Poonch districts since last night, they said.

Indian troops manning positions along the IB and the LoC retaliated and the exchange continued intermittently in some areas till this evening, they said.

The intensified shelling is an act of desperation on the part of the Pakistani Army after the people of Jammu and Kashmir defeated their designs by expressing faith in Indian democracy and coming out in large numbers despite terrorists’ threat, the sources said. (PTI)

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