Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 9: Neutral observers from the Industries and Commerce Department are set to oversee the Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) election process, the federation said today.
The intervention follows concerns raised by the newly constituted Advisory Committee of FCIK regarding the ongoing election crisis within the organization.
FCIK stated that the action comes in response to “mounting dissatisfaction” among its members with the now-dissolved Election Commission, which, it said, faced allegations of constitutional violations, procedural irregularities, and a lack of transparency.
“These issues had stalled the electoral process and caused widespread resentment, severely hampering the Federation’s ability to represent the interests of industrialists across the Valley,” FCIK added.
The Federation also stated that, on May 5, its President Shahid Kamili, along with 26 Presidents of various industrial estates and district-level units, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister’s Office.
“In a positive development, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has formally directed the Director of Industries and Commerce, Kashmir, to deploy neutral observers from the department to oversee the election process,” FCIK noted.
Additionally, the Director has been tasked with temporarily overseeing the FCIK office at the Industrial Estate Barzulla until the conclusion of the elections.
The Director has also been instructed to ensure that the elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the FCIK Constitution and bylaws.
The newly constituted Advisory Committee, formed on May 4 during the General Body Meeting, will guide the Federation through this transitional phase, FCIK added.
“Empowered with full constitutional authority by the General Body, the Committee is responsible for establishing a new, impartial Election Commission to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections, under the supervision of neutral observers and government-appointed representatives,” FCIK said.
Members of the Advisory Committee have praised the Chief Minister’s timely intervention, “which they believe has renewed hope for the thousands of entrepreneurs and industrialists who rely on FCIK as their collective voice.”
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