Election in 3 DDCs deferred for lack of quorum
NC member joins AP, another shows resentment
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 13: Elections for the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons in three districts of the Jammu region including Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri were deferred today due to lack of quorum even as a DDC member from National Conference in Kishtwar district joined the Apni Party and an Independent parted ways with NC while another DDC member of NC in Rajouri kept the party on tenterhooks by initially refusing to join the election meeting but later reached the venue.
Click here to watch video
However, in Poonch district, the Congress Party’s last hope to at least capture one District Development Council (DDC) in Jammu and Kashmir, were dashed to ground when its candidate Nazia Ghani lost by 6-8 to Independent Tazeem Akhter. Post of vice chairman also went to an Independent Mohammad Ashfaq.
The DDC top post elections have been completed in 17 districts and Congress, which ruled erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir for several years, has failed to get its chairperson or even vice chairperson elected in a single district. In three districts where elections will be rescheduled on being deferred today, the Congress stands no chance.
In Poonch district too, one of the Congress members openly supported the Independent candidate Tazeem Akhter, who represents Sathra constituency and secured eight votes while her rival Nazia Ghani of Congress from Dera Baba Nangali Sahib seat polled six votes.
Tazeem Akhter’s name was proposed by Independent Riaz Naaz, a prominent Congress leader who was denied mandate by the party but won with thumping margin, and seconded by Ruksana Kouser, a DDC member of Congress. Tazeem and Ruksana are, however, sisters-in-law. Nazia Ghani’s name was proposed by Imran Zaffar of Congress and seconded by Shahnawaz Choudhary, an Independent, who had also been denied ticket by the Congress but he had won Surankote seat with impressive margin.
Independent candidate from Mendhar Mohammad Ashfaq won the post of vice chairman securing nine votes while his rival Wazid Bashir, also from Mendhar and an Independent, could muster only five votes.
Ashfaq’s name for vice chairman was proposed by Choudhary Ghani and seconded by his daughter Nazia Ghani, both Congress while that of Wazid Bashir was proposed by Baaji Farooq and seconded by Nusran Jubeen, both Independents.
Poonch district had eight Independents while Congress had four seats and National Conference two. The NC had supported Congress for the post of chairperson.
Sources said seven Independents and a Congress member voted for Tazeem Akhter while three from Congress, two NC and an Independent backed Nazia Ghani. However, the election is held through secret ballot and there is no Anti-Defection Law in place for the DDC members.
Poonch district was reserved for Scheduled Tribe Woman. Tazeem Akhter has become first Independent in the Jammu region to head a DDC though two Independents have been elected chairpersons in Kashmir.
Reacting to the results, BJP president Ravinder Raina expressed satisfaction over the defeat of Gupkar Alliance in Poonch DDC and victory of Independent candidates for the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson. He said Gupkar Alliance has also been defeated in Baramulla and Independent Safeena Baig was elected chairperson.
Raina said the BJP abstained from election in Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri districts as it doesn’t have majority. The NC is blaming others but its own house isn’t in order, he added.
Concerned Deputy Commissioners, who happened to be the District Election Officers (DEOs), today deferred the elections in Kishtwar, Rajouri and Ramban districts because of lack of quorum.
In Kishtwar district, out of 14 members, nine DDC members reached the DC office for elections. They include six from National Conference and three of Congress. Five members who abstained include three of BJP, one National Conference and an Independent from Marwah, who initially was with the NC but today parted ways with the party.
At least two-third members i.e. 10 out of 14 were required to be present for conduct of elections for the post of chairperson and vice chairperson in the DDC.
NC DDC member from Thakrai in Kishtwar district, Shareefa Begum, who didn’t reach the election venue, joined the Apni Party today. However, the BJP and Apni Party are still short of three members to reach magic figure of eight to get their chairperson and vice chairperson elected in the Kishtwar District Development Council.
Senior National Conference leader and former Home Minister Sajjad Kitchloo told the Excelsior that their nine members kept waiting for two hours in the office of DEO for elections but the BJP members and an Independent didn’t turn up.
NC and Congress had decided to field Pooja Thakur for the post of chairperson and Saima Parveen Lone for vice chairperson in Kishtwar district, which is reserved for women.
Almost similar was the situation in Rajouri district where four DDC member of National Conference, three from Congress and one of PDP, totaling eight, reached the DC office for election this morning having majority to win the top posts but were short by two members to constitute the quorum required for holding the elections.
BJP’s three members and one each from NC, Apni Party and Independent didn’t attend the meeting.
Later, NC member from Doongi Khalid Hussain also joined the meeting but the numbers reached nine, still short of one for quorum and the Deputy Commissioner deferred the election after mandatory wait of two hours.
NC had decided to field Naseem Liaquat, DDC member from Budhal for the post of chairman in Rajouri district, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Sources said Khalid Hussain is also contender for the post of chairman and had conveyed his resentment over denying mandate to him to the party high command as well.
In Ramban district too, six DDC members of National Conference and two Congress constituting majority in the House of 14 but two short of quorum required for the District Election Officer to conduct the election were present at the election venue meeting. BJP’s three and three Independents abstained from the meeting after which the Deputy Commissioner deferred the election.
Sources said election for the DDCs in Ramban, Kishtwar and Rajouri will be notified later. While in the first meeting, 10 out of 14 members are required for quorum, in the second meeting, the quorum will come down to eight, as per the rules.
Election has already been held in six DDCs of the Jammu region. The BJP has won chairpersonship of all six DDCs and vice chairpersonship of five. Post of the vice chairperson in Reasi had gone to an Independent after draw of lots in view of tie.
Political observers, however, questioned the BJP decision to abstain from the election in three districts leading to deferment of the polls saying the BJP has been claiming credit for conduct of the DDC polls but was delaying their constitution.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
