31 new cases in Ladakh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: Four persons including a 24-year-old youth died of COVID-19 in Jammu region, three of them in Jammu and one in Doda district and 192 others tested positive, 103 of them in Jammu district alone while 399 patients recovered from the virus today.
A 24-year-old youth from Ward No. 8 Bishnah in Jammu district was brought dead to the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu. He tested positive for COVID-19 posthumously. A 77-year-old man from Tali Morh New Plots died of co-morbidities and virus in the GMC Jammu, a day after his admission in the hospital.
A 58-year-old man from village Kadyal in RS Pura tehsil died in the Dayanand Medical College (DMC) Ludhiana where he was under treatment for Coronavirus for last 27 days. A 68-year-old man from village Paryote in Doda district died of multiple ailments and pathogen at home.
With four Corona casualties today, the death tally in Jammu region has gone up to 468, the highest being 243 in Jammu district followed by 45 Rajouri, 43 Doda, 30 Kathua, 27 Udhampur, 25 Samba, 22 Poonch, 14 Kishtwar, 12 Ramban and seven in Reasi district.
Twenty one persons today tested positive for Coronavirus during Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) in Jammu district including two each at Pallanwalla and Sohanjana and one each at Bishnah, RS Pura and Gandhi Nagar.
Of 192 Corona positive cases in Jammu region, 103 were reported from Jammu district and all but three of them were locals.
All 22 positives in Kishtwar, four in Reasi and three in Ramban districts were locals. Three Government employees were among the positives of Reasi district.
Fourteen out of 15 positive cases in Doda, 12 of 13 in Samba, nine of 12 in Kathua, eight of 12 in Udhampur, four of five in Poonch and two out of three in Rajouri district were locals and rest travelers.
Among 399 persons who recovered from the virus today, 190 belonged to Jammu district, 97 Poonch, 43 Rajouri, 40 Kishtwar, 11 each in Doda and Kathua districts, six Udhampur and one in Ramban district. No recoveries were reported from Samba and Reasi districts.
Jammu region now has 36076 Corona cases. Of them, 2727 are active positives while 32881 have recovered from the virus. There have been 468 Corona casualties.
Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Ladakh today reported 31 new COVID-19 positive cases including 29 in Leh district and two in Kargil.
With this, Ladakh’s Corona cases have gone up to 5812. Of them, 842 are active positives while 4902 patients have recovered from the virus.
There have been 68 Corona casualties—30 in Leh and 38 in Kargil.

First election held in country amid COVID pandemic

Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 22: Sixty five percent electorates cast their votes in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, (LAHDC), Leh elections today- the first elections held anywhere in the country amid COVID pandemic. The polling in all 26 constituencies across the Leh district remained incident free as no report of violence or violation of Model Code of Conduct was reported from any where in the district.

Click here to watch video
According to reports, out of 89,789 total registered voters 54,258 cast their votes today. Despite the COVID pandemic there was enthusiasm among the voters to exercise their right to franchise. However the percentage of voters in rural belt of Leh district was more than Urban areas and women in large number came out from their houses to cast their vote and surpassed their male counterparts in today’s election.
As per reports, 28,263 female and 25,994 males cast their votes in today’s polling. The highest turnout was reported from Sku Markha constituency where 83.59 percent electorate cast their votes while the lowest turnout was reported from Lower Leh where 48.8 percent electorates exercised their franchise.
This was followed by 52.27 percent turnout in Phyang, 61.71 percent in Temisgam, 63.25 percent Skurbuchan, 64.21 per cent in Tangtse, 64.34 percent in Martselang, 64.42 in Upper Leh, 65.41 percent in Saspol, 66.63 per cent in Korzok, 67 per cent in Kungyam, 67.88 per cent in Sakti, 68.17 per cent in Chuchot, 68.72 per cent in Lamayouru, 70.70 per cent in Basho, 70.89 per cent in Igoo, 71.56 per cent in Thiksay, 72..08 in Nyoma, 72.66 per cent in Tegar, 72.92 per cent in Khaltse, 73.02 percent in Hundar, 73.63 per cent in Panamik, 74.70 per cent in Chushul, 75.16 per cent in Diskit, 76.45 percent in Lingshet constituency and 77.91 per cent in Turtuk.
Despite the COVID Pandemic the district election authorities accepting the challenge had made elaborate arrangements for the voters at all polling booths including the sanitization of booths, maintaining social distance, observance of SOPs besides providing masks, shields and sanitizers to the polling staff and security forces men manning the booths.
The polling percentage during last LAHDC elections was also around 65 percent and the authorities are satisfied with the turnout this time despite the Pandemic.
Addressing a press conference, Election Authority 6th LAHDC, Leh Election, Sachin Kumar Vaishya said that a total of about 65.07 % of voters have exercised their franchise in the polling that will decide the fate of 94 candidates who are in the fray for the sixth LAHDC, Leh election. BJP, INC, AAP and 23 Independent candidates are fighting the race to win the seats of 26 councilors of the 6th Hill Council of Leh district.
It is for the first time EVMs were used for LAHDC Leh election and counting of votes is scheduled on October 26. Female polling teams were deployed on 57 polling stations out of the 294 including 75% female staff on another 38 polling stations.
Though polling was scheduled to take place at 8 am but it started late as EVMs which were brought from Kashmir Valley took some time in getting charged, said the DC. He said at some polling booths voting started by 9-30 and at other booths it started at 10 am.
He said authorities faced many challenges during the present voting. One of the major challenges which they faced was that the half of the security personnel deployed from other parts of the country for elections in Leh tested positive. They were quarantined till they recovered. Second the battery of the M-2 Type machines which were first time used did not respond for some time and a polling party deployed to a polling booth developed COVID positive symptoms and a reserve polling party was deployed for the same and they were brought back.
He said there were 2500 first time voters in the Leh who turned 18 this year and 11 percent new voters were added this time than last elections of 2015.
He said for the first time during this election postal ballot was used for COVID patients, handicapped and those above 65 years of age. A 104-year old lady cast her vote through postal ballot in Nobra area, he added.
SSP, Leh Rajiv Panday said that polling was held very peacefully in the district and no untoward incident was reported from any polling stations.
The polling started at 8 in the morning and a good number of voters turnout was recorded at all the polling stations in Leh and surrounding villages, especially women and youth presence were higher.
Besides, the senior citizens, person with disability, the individual who are under home/institutional quarantine, person tested positive/home isolated, doctors and paramedical staff deployed at dedicated COVID Hospital or COVID Care Centre were provided postal ballot voting services and a total of 4303 voters exercise their franchise under this service.
For conducting a very peaceful and smooth election and good voter turnout today, the DC Leh complimented all the staff and police personnel deployed in the election duty and Government agencies including media and said that now the focus of the district administration is to ensure smooth counting day on 26th October.
Election Observer 6th LAHDC, Leh election, Ravinder Kumar, Additional District Magistrate Leh, Sonam Chosjor and Election Officer Leh, A.G Zargar were also present during the press conference.

Constituency % age
TURTUK 77.91%
HUNDAR 73.02%
DISKIT 75.16%
TEGAR 72.66%
PANAMIK 73.63%
TANGTSE 64.71%
CHUSHUL 74.70%
NYOMA 72.08%
KUNGVAM 67.00%
KORZOK 66.63%
SAKTI 67.88%
IGOO 70.89%
MARTSELANG 64.34%
THIKSAY 71.56%
CHUCHOT 68.17%
UPPER LEH 64.42%
LOWER LEH 48.08%
PHYANG 52.27%
SKU-MARKHA 83.59%
BASHO 70.70%
SASPOL 65.41%
TEMISGAM 61.71%
KHALTSE 72.92%
SKURBUCHAN 63.25%
LAMAVOURU 68.72%
LINGSHET 76.45%
TOTAL 65.07%

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 22: Nine persons today died of COVID-19 in Kashmir taking the fatality count in Jammu and Kashmir to 1418 while 392 people tested positive in the Valley increasing the J&K positive cases tally to 90,166.
Those who died of COVID today include a 22-year-old woman from Ganderbal who passed away a day after she was admitted to SKIMS Soura.
A 55-year-old woman from Lal Bazar area of Srinagar died at SKIMS Soura, nine days after she was admitted there.
A 29-year-old woman from Watlar in Ganderbal also died at SKIMS Soura, a day after being admitted to the hospital.
A 75-year-old from man Nawabagh Lalbazar also died at SKIMS, 20 days after he was admitted to the hospital
The other fatalities include a 70-year-old man from Gurez in district Bandipora, a 95-year-old from Natipora area of Srinagar, a 75-year-old man from Alamgari Bazar area of Srinagar, a 70-year-old from Bagh-e-Mehtab Chattergam in district Budgam, and a 65-year-old man from Dhobi Mohalla Batamaloo in Srinagar.
With these deaths, the fatality count has reached 947 in Valley.
Srinagar district with 341 deaths topped the list followed by Baramulla 137, Budgam 91, Pulwama 79, Kupwara 71, Anantnag 71, Kulgam 46, Bandipora 43, Shopian 35 and Ganderbal 32.
And 392 people today tested positive in Kashmir taking the J&K positive cases tally to 90,166.
Those who tested positive in Valley today include 127 from Srinagar, 19 Budgam, 104 Baramulla, 30 Pulwama, 40 Kupwara, 27 Anantnag, 9 Bandipora, 27 Ganderbal, 7 Kulgam and 2 from Shopian.
As per officials figures, 18,247 positive cases including 340 deaths and 16,107 recoveries are from Srinagar, 5,259 including 91 deaths and 5,299 recoveries are from Budgam, 5,452 including 3,923 recoveries and 137 deaths are from Baramulla, 4,507 including 4,135 recoveries and 79 deaths are from Pulwama, 4,175 including 71 deaths and 3,753 recoveries are from Kupwara, 4,086 including 3,670 recoveries and 71 deaths are from Anantnag, 3,921 cases including 3,615 and 43 deaths are from Bandipora, 3,386 including 3,115 recoveries and 31 deaths are from Ganderbal, 2,432 including 2,279 recoveries and 46 deaths are from Kulgam and 2,139 including 2,025 recoveries and 35 deaths are from Shopian.
Of the total 90,166 cases in J&K, 54,090 are from Kashmir.
In Kashmir, there are 47,921 recoveries and 944 deaths.
The total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 7,952 including 5,225 from Kashmir division.
With 710 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 80,802 which is 89.61 percent of the total cases.
Out of 2,100,760 samples processed so far, 2,010,594 tested negative and 90,166 positive.

Mall constructed on land acquired under Roshni Scheme

Undisclosed investments, transactions of  Rs 105 cr detected

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: In a major action, Income Tax Department today raided 15 residential and business premises of a group of assesses in Srinagar and Delhi and seized unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 1.82 crore and jewellery/bullion worth Rs 74 lakh. Moreover, undisclosed investments and cash transactions of Rs 105 crore of the group were unearthed during the operation.
Besides indulging in evasion of tax at large scale, the group has also constructed a huge mall in Srinagar on the land acquired under the Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001 popularly known as Roshni Scheme, the investigation of which has already been entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the official handout of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Income Tax Department carried out search and seizure actions on a group of three assesses based in Srinagar. The searches were conducted at 15 residential and business premises out of which 14 were in Srinagar and one in Delhi.
As per the sources, the raided premises include MS Mall on Residency Road and City Walk Mall on MA Road in Srinagar. The MS Mall belongs to Imtiyaz Ahmed Shah, son of Haji Mohd Shafi Shah of Rajbagh and City Walk Mall is owned by his brother Manzoor Ahmed and his partner Imtiyaz Ahmad Kawoosa, son of Ghulam Qadir of Nishat.
“The group is engaged in multiple businesses including real estate, construction and renting of commercial and residential complexes in Srinagar, hotel industry, handicrafts and carpet trading etc”, said Surabhi Ahluwalia, Commissioner of Income Tax (Media and Technical Policy) and official spokesperson of CBDT.
The search operation led to seizure of unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 1.82 crore and jewellery/bullion worth Rs 74 lakh, he said, adding total undisclosed investments and cash transactions of Rs 105 crore of the group have also been unearthed during the search.
The group has constructed a huge mall of 75,000 square feet in Srinagar but the corresponding income tax returns have not been filed. The land was acquired under the J&K State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001 popularly known as Roshni Scheme from the Government at a throwaway price.
Stating that search has uncovered evidences of unexplained investment of more than Rs 25 crore in this mall, the spokesperson said that group is also constructing six residential towers in Srinagar out of which two towers of around 50 flats each have already been completed and remaining are under construction for which also income tax returns have not been filed. “Prima-facie, there is an unexplained investment of Rs 20 crore in this project”, he said.
Moreover, the group is also running a school under a trust which is not registered under the Income Tax Act, 1961. One of the trustees has admitted to having withdrawn substantial cash from the trust which has been diverted towards other business purposes and personal expenses of the group. “Prima-facie there is unexplained investment of around Rs 10 crore in this school building”, the CBDT said.
The search has also led to recovery of incriminating evidences regarding receipt and payment of cash amounting to more than Rs 50 crore from various premises. Three lockers have been found and put under restraint and all the properties are being referred for valuation.
An engineering consultant firm, which had valued almost all immovable properties of group, was also covered under the search. It has been found that this firm has not filed any income tax return even though more than 100 valuations have been done by it with consultancy receipts of more than Rs 4 crore in the last six financial years.
“This engineering consultant firm had valued the properties of various assesses of the Valley in such a way that they could mortgage those properties to avail maximum loans from Jammu and Kashmir Bank”, the spokesperson said, adding “most of such loans have become NPA as per the bank and details of such properties have been seized for making further enquiries”.