‘Ministers of both NC, Cong will have to improve performance’
Jehangir Rashid

DEVSAR-KULGAM, May 2: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today while emphasizing the need for coalition Governments, both at the national and state level, said that no single party can form Government on its own in future.
Azad said that main stream parties like National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) need support of Congress parties for the formation of Government in Jammu and Kashmir and if these parties will not work together with Congress Hurriyat Conference and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) will be gainers in Kashmir and Jammu respectively.
Addressing a huge public rally in stronghold of the PDP here, Mr Azad said that at the Centre, the Congress party is leading the coalition Government over the past 8 years. “Before that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was heading a coalition Government as well. In the state this is the second coalition Government that we are supporting. In future, I don’t see any chance for a single party to form the Government. As such coalition Government is important for the overall dispensation both at the Centre and the State level,” he added.
Highlighting the importance and role of Congress in the state politics, Azad said both the NC and PDP cannot afford to keep the Congress at bay. He said both these parties have to take support from the Congress in case they want to form the Government.
“In the Jammu region, Bharatiya Janta Party would gain if the mainstream political parties decided to go it alone as far as the formation of Government is concerned. In Kashmir, a separatist party like Hurriyat Conference would be the big gainer with more legislators if the mainstream parties decide not to garner support of the Congress party,” Mr Azad said.
He said that he has already made it clear that there would be no rotation of the Chief Minister in the state adding that he is not in favour of frequent transfers and appointments. He said that Omar Abdullah would lead the National Conference-Congress coalition Government for six years adding there is no room for confusion on this front.
“It is not prudent to change the CM after three years. It was due to this reason that we decided to support Omar Abdullah as the CM for the full term of six years. The Congress party would support him but he too has the responsibility of leading the State towards peace, progress and prosperity,” the Union Minister said.
He expressed satisfaction over the performance of the State Government. He, however, said that Ministers belonging to both the Congress and NC would have to pull up their socks and improve their performance for better governance.
Mr Azad said that his criticism of the coalition Government on certain fronts should not be misconstrued as an attack on National Conference. He said that since coalition Government consists of both the National Conference and Congress ministers it is imperative that ministers of both the parties improve their performance.
“Some times I express my disappointment over the pace of works in the State and that does not mean I am criticizing the performance of the NC. I am critical of the performance of both the Congress and NC Ministers. Nobody from the NC should take it personal as my sole aim is progress and development of the State,” he asserted.
Mr Azad said that Ministers should not work on the party lines adding that they should be guided by the principle of solving the issues of the common masses. He said when it comes to development no discrimination whatsoever should be meted out to people irrespective of the political ideologies they belong to.
“Militancy was a big challenge for us and we have been able to wipe it out. It does not mean that we should be complacent. We wanted peace to return and that has been possible due to the effective strategy. We should build upon the gains that have been achieved after the wiping out the militancy,” said Azad.
Mr Azad said that development has taken a hit during the two decades of the militancy in the State. He said efforts should be doubled and tripled for taking forward the process of progress and development in the State. He stressed for invoking the double and triple shift of the working pattern in the State.
“Jammu and Kashmir has always received tremendous support from the Union Government. There would be no let up in the funds from the Centre and development would never become a casualty in the State. The State should become one of the model states of the country and for this there would be whole hearted support from the Centre,” he said.
Referring to the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Mr Azad said that the Union Health Ministry has decided to provide 90 percent grants to the State under this scheme. He said that these grants have been reduced for the other States from 85 percent to 75 percent. He announced that 500 more health sub-centres would be set up across the State.
Mr Azad said that his ministry has provided 225 ambulances for the entire State adding 11 medical mobile units have also been established.
The rally was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Independent Minister for Cooperatives, Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma, Public Enterprises Minister, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, G. M Saroori, MLA Inderwal, Abdul Majid Wani, MLA Doda, Viqar Rasool, MLA Banihal, MLCs Jugal Kishore, Ali Mohammad Bhat, Mohammad Amin Bhat and Abdul Majid Paddar, vice-president, Pradesh Congress Committee.

HM allays fears of States on NCT
NEW DELHI, May 2:
Setting the tone for the upcoming Chief Ministers’ meeting on NCTC, Home Minister P Chidambaram today discounted the fears of states that it would encroach upon their rights as he underlined that fighting terror was a shared responsibility between the Centre and States.
He also questioned the opposition to the amendment to the BSF Act, saying it gave no extra power to the para military force but was only aimed at regularising its deployment in States, which was not provided under the original law.
“Dealing with violence and terrorism is the shared responsibility. While we are willing to share our responsibility, we want States to share their responsibility,” Chidambaram said in reply to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Demand for Grants for the Home Ministry.
The Demand for Grants was passed by a voice vote after the cut motions were defeated.
Referring to the NCTC, which is being opposed by many Chief Ministers, including UPA ally Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal, Chidambaram said it was an off-shoot of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that was debated and passed by Parliament in 2004 and amended in 2008.
“I am accused of encroaching States’ powers. What power am I encroaching upon?… (Under the NCTC), the designated agency may arrest an accused and hand him over to the nearest police station immediately,” he said.
He was referring to the UAPA’s provision 43(A), which empowers police to arrest and search and seize, which is being opposed by the states.
“You should have said what I was doing for last three years. I was tardy.. I delayed it for three years. But you are accusing me of encroaching your powers,” Chidambaram said addressing the states.
Chidambaram reserved his detailed statement on NCTC for the May 5 meeting but said that many of the Chief Ministers opposing the anti-terror hub had not read the three-page statement issued by him on the issue.
Citing the improvement of situation in J&K and northeastern region, Chidambaram said he was optimistic that peace will prevail in the country despite violence here and there.
“I am optimist about future. My experience with last three years of J&K and northeast convinced me that people will realise the futility of violence,” he said.
The Home Minister said people will stand up against violence and support the Government in taking strong action against terrorism and violence.
“We have to work together, States and Centre have to work together, political parties have to work together to make this country safe and secured,” he said.
The report of the interlocutors on J&K would be made public very soon, Home Minister P Chidambaram said today.
“In the next few days, the report of J&K interlocutors will be uploaded on the (Home Ministry) website and it will also be placed in the Parliament library for everyone to see,” he said in the Lok Sabha.
The interlocutors on J&K comprising Dilip Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M M Ansari had submitted their report to Chidambaram on October 12 last year.
The report is learnt to have touched upon a variety of issues including the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act confronting the State.
Chidambaram contested the opposition charge that India has not been able to contain terrorist attacks like the United States did after the 2001 terror strikes.
Terming it as a “popular myth”, he said that the US had witnessed six terror attacks and three nearly successful terror attacks in that country since 2001.
The Home Minister said the Central Government has taken several steps for the capacity building of the Central paramilitary forces.
Chidambaram regretted that there are five lakh vacancies in State constabulary out of the 20 lakh sanctioned posts. He, however, made it clear that he was not attacking the states as he realises their difficulties.
On the amendment to BSF Act, he said the force was not being given more powers but only its preamble had to be changed to allow regularised deployment of the force in violence-hit states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
As per the original Act, BSF could be deployed only on the border. “Today I am forced to deploy (BSF) in two states-Chhattisgarh and Odisha. So we are saying amend the act,” he said, adding the force cannot be deployed unless the Chief Minister of the concerned State wants.
Underlining the need for cooperation between the Centre and states in fighting terrorism and extremism, the Home Minister pointed out that India’s neighbourhood was the most troubled with all the major terror groups like Al Qaida, Lashkar-e Taiba and Harkat-ul Jehad-e-Islami based there.
“We are not less vulnerable, we are not more vulnerable. We are as vulnerable as we were… Unless we accept the shared responsibility, we cannot meet the threat to security,” he said.
He noted that in the run up to the Mumbai attacks of 2008, the country witnessed seven to eight terror strikes but after that only three terror attacks have taken place.
“These are three blots,” the Home Minister said even as emphasised that the capacity to deal with terror has been beefed up. (PTI)

Out of Rs 650 cr withheld assistance, Rs 150 cr released
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 2: Union Ministry of Urban Development has extended time-frame up to 2013-14 for completion of projects and reforms under Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) of Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
On the hectic persuasion of the State Government, the Centre has also released about Rs 150 crore out of total withheld amount of Rs 650 crore. However, it has been made clear that remaining amount of Rs 500 crore would be released only after the State Government carries out pending reforms within shortest possible time.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Union Ministry of Urban Development vide its communication No. K-14014/04/2012-NURM-I has conveyed to the State Government that with the approval of the competent authority it has been decided to extend Mission period by two years up to 2013-14 for completion of projects sanctioned till March 2012 and reforms under UIG and UIDSSMT of JNNURM.
The JNNURM was actually launched in the year 2005 for reforms driven and fast tract planned development of urban infrastructure and basic services in identified cities and the duration of Mission was seven years beginning from 2005-06.
“However, majority of the projects sanctioned under JNNURM could not be completed within the stipulated time-frame as State Government failed to carry out all the reforms, which were imperative to get next installments under the Mission”, sources said.
While conveying extension of time-frame by two years, the Union Government has also asked the State Government to expedite the implementation of the projects and reforms and submit an Action Plan for the same at the earliest, they informed.
“As the State Government was continuously pressing for release of withheld amount for completion of the projects, whose fate is hanging in balance in absence of financial assistance, the Union Government has also released around Rs 150 crore out of total withheld amount of Rs 650 crore”, they said.
However, while releasing Rs 150 crore, the Union Ministry has made it clear that remaining amount of Rs 500 crore would be released only after the State Government carries out the pending reforms within the shortest possible time as committed by it a number of times during the past quite sometime, sources said while expressing hope that State Government would leave no stone unturned in translating its commitment repeatedly made with the Union Government ever since the withholding of next installment under the Mission.
According to the official data available with EXCELSIOR, under UIG component, work on comprehensive sewerage scheme for Division A of Greater Jammu is under progress while as the comprehensive sewerage scheme for left out area, Phase-II of Division A of Greater Jammu City is yet to take off.
Similarly, work on comprehensive sewerage scheme for Zone-III (Sector-I) of Greater Srinagar, augmentation of water supply for Zone IV of Greater Srinagar including Central Water Testing Facilities and water supply scheme for Tangnar (Srinagar) under UIG component of JNNURM is under progress.
As far as UIDSSMT is concerned, none of the 47 projects started in Akhnoor, Anantnag, Baramulla, Bhaderwah, Doda, Ganderbal, Kathua, Kupwara, Poonch, Samba, Sopore, Sunderbani and Udhampur towns have so far been completed.
In Akhnoor town, 95 per cent work on two projects has been completed till March 31, 2012 while as another one is yet to take off. In Anantnag town, work on one project is yet to take off while as only 5 per cent work on another has been carried out. Similarly, only 18 per cent work on one project in Baramulla district has been carried out so far.
As far as five projects in Bhaderwah are concerned, work ranging between 45 per cent to 85 per cent has been completed till March 31, 2012. In Doda, 43 per cent to 55 per cent work on three projects has been completed while as work on third one is yet to take off. Out of three projects in Ganderbal, only 21 per cent work on one project has been completed. Barring one project, substantial progress has been made on three others in Kathua.
In Kupwara, only 38 per cent work has been completed on one project while as in Poonch, substantial progress has been made on three projects while as not even one per cent work has been carried out on remaining two. Out of six projects in Samba, work ranging between 32 per cent to 56 per cent has been completed on five projects.
As far as six projects in Sunderbani are concerned, progress ranging between 22 per cent to 90 per cent has been made while as 56 per cent work has been carried out on lone project in Udhampur district.

Ultras, 9 Pak wives being shifted to Srinagar
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 2: Nine militants along with their equal number of wives and 22 children were being shifted to Srinagar for sustained interrogation on transit remand from village Sonouli in Uttar Pradesh, where they were arrested on India, Nepal border following reports that they had attended terror camps in Pakistan and masterminded militant activities in Kashmir.
A Srinagar police team has already left for Sonouli to coordinate with Sahastra Suraksha Bal (SSB), which had arrested the Kashmiri militants and Uttar Pradesh Police, take their transit remand and shift them to Srinagar for questioning.
Police sources here identified nine captured militants as Sayeed Mujtaba Bukhari, Dawood Rather, Ashraf Thakur and Mustafa Hussain, all residents of Budgam, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, Bashir Ahmed and Abdul Rashid of Kupwara, Bashir Ahmed of Pahalgam and Shabbir Ahmed of Shopian.
Along with them were their nine Pakistani wives and 22 children, some of them were grown up while majority of others were minors.
Sources said an operational party of Srinagar police has reached Sonouli in Uttar Pradesh and was coordinating with SSB and UP police to take custody of the militants, their Pakistani wives and children and then shift them to Srinagar on transit remand for questioning.
A senior police officer said if the arrested persons were not found involved in terror activities and cooperated with police to give details about militant camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), they could be covered under Rehabilitation Policy of the State Government even though the route taken by them (Indo-Nepal border) was not part of the route identified under the Policy.
Sources said Srinagar police team was confident of taking custody of all 40 persons and shift them to the Valley for interrogation. The minor children and the women could be sent to recreational centres after the questioning.
According to sources, all nine Kashmiris arrested at Sonouli along Indo-Nepal border, figured in police record as Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who had crossed over to PoK in early nineties for arms training. After training, they couldn’t cross over to this side and were held up in PoK. Later, they married local girls in PoK and Pakistan and started working in small business concerns to run their livelihood. They had been putting up in rented houses.
Preliminary investigations by police revealed that the militants had managed to get passports and visa for Nepal posing themselves as Pakistani citizens with the help of some agents. They had paid money for securing passports and visas.
They flew to Kathmandu in Nepal from Karachi in Pakistan Airlines flight and then traveled up to Sonouli in Uttar Pradesh on Indo-Nepal border. As soon as they entered into the Indian territory, the SSB jawans deployed on the border took them into custody.
As identity of the intruders was confirmed as Kashmiris, the SSB sounded Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir Police. Sources said immediately thereafter, a Kashmir Police team left for Sonouli. They added that police have managed to get custody of the militants, their wives and children and would be reaching Srinagar shortly.
The SSB or Uttar Pradesh Police didn’t resist the custody of militants and their family members to police as they were not wanted to them in any case.
Reports with Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed that all nine militants were residents of different parts of Valley while their wives mostly hailed from Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK. They had married 10 to 12 years back and had 22 children with them.
Sources said though the Kashmiri youth belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen in police record, it was being ascertained as to whether they were involved in any militant activities here prior to crossing over to PoK for arms training. It was, however, confirmed that they had undergone training in camps of PoK run by Hizbul Mujahideen and were well versed with the militants held up across the LoC, the trainer and officials of Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), engaged in giving training to the militants.
“The militants could provide useful information about training camps and ultras held up in PoK and their handlers’’, sources said, adding that they would be quizzed on being brought to Srinagar. Though the cases of exfiltration and infiltration would be registered against the militants, police would decide whether to book them under militancy related laws only after their sustained interrogation.
On whether the militants could get benefits of Rehabilitation Police of the State Government and approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, police said if the militants managed to get clean chit during questioning, their cases would be recommended to the Government under Rehabilitation Policy.
Under Rehabilitation Policy, the militants could come to this side only from four routes including Rawlakote-Poonch, Uri-Muzaffarabad in Jammu and Kashmir, Wagah border in Amritsar district of Punjab and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi.
Intelligence reports revealed that Pakistan agencies were scanning all visitors on these routes to ensure that no militant from that country could manage to reach India under Rehabilitation Policy as this would expose Pakistan that it had been sheltering the ultras.
In view of this, a number of inactive militants, who had married PoK or Pakistani women and were working there after leaving the training camps, had taken Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh border routes to enter into India and reach Jammu. The militants after obtaining passports and visas of Dhaka in Bangladesh or Kathmandu in Nepal flew there from Karachi and then crossed over to this side.
Sources said police and security agencies had reports that a number of militants from Jammu and Kashmir held up in Pakistan and PoK wanted to return to their homes but were not being able to do so due to strict surveillance maintained on them by the Pakistani agencies.
A number of militants were in touch with their families in Jammu and Kashmir and wanted to reach back home. Sources said nine militants captured in Uttar Pradesh were also in touch with their homes and their conversation had been trapped by some agencies in New Delhi, which had flashed a message to SSB in Uttar Pradesh to capture them on entering India.

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 2: The machinery procured for the multi-crore rupees World Bank aided project for leather technology course in Jammu and Kashmir is rotting for past 7 years in Kashmir Government Polytechnic, Srinagar.
The machinery was purchased by the State Procurement Implementation Unit (SPIU) between 2004 and 2007 for over Rs 5 crores and was dumped in the painting booth which was also purchased at the cost of crores of rupees for providing practical training to the students of automobile branch in the KGP, Srinagar.
The Leather Technology course was started by the department of Technical Education with World Bank funding its machinery with the objective of boosting the leather industry in the State for which raw material is readily available.
The course was started in KGP, Srinagar with the intake capacity of 40 students per year so that the youth of the State can start their own units as this industry has lot of potential in the State.
The machinery was procured by the SPIU on the requisition of then In-Charge Principal of the KGP, Srinagar, Tuha Andrabi, who is presently In-Charge Joint Director, Polytechnics. After procuring the machinery it was not installed at all causing huge losses to the State exchequer and with the changing technology the machinery has now become obsolete and carrier of hundreds of students has been ruined over the years.
For past 9 years only 13 students, with 7 in 2006, 5 in 2007 and one in 2008, passed out from the KGP, Srinagar in Leather Technology course. Sources said that all the 13 pass outs could not find any job in the State and had to go for further training in Leather Technology outside the State due to poor quality training in the KGP, Srinagar before getting a job.
However, the Leathery Technology department in the KGP, Srinagar has two lecturers, one demonstrator, one instructor, one attendant and two orderlies who are drawing lakhs of rupees as salary for sitting idle.
The KGP, Srinagar admits 40 students for the Leather Technology every year and after first year the students are forced to shift to other branches with the result the department has become defunct by now.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 2: The State High Court today adjourned the hearing of the alleged fake encounter case involving the designate Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Bikram Singh, who was Brigadier 1-Sector Rashtriya Riffles of Army in south Kashmir when the encounter took place, by one week.
Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir adjourned the case till May 10 after the State Government counsel, Advocate Nissar Hussain Shah, informed the Court that the objections filed by Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag in the case be taken on board as that of the State Government as well.
Earlier on April 11, the High Court had granted one week’s time to the State Government to file objections after the Deputy Advocate General of the State, Alaudin Ganai, prayed that time be given to the State Government to file objections.
SSP Anantnag has pleaded before the court that the petitioners never approached them with the plea seeking reinvestigation of the case.
The police report has also rubbished the claim that the encounter at Janglat Mandi was fake saying the death of two civilians, an army officer and a soldier were facts to the contrary.
Defence Ministry had already submitted their objections to the petition filed by Zaituna, who has alleged that her son Abdullah Bhat, a resident of Macchil in Kupwara district, was killed in a fake encounter at Anantnag town in March 2001 and later branded as a Pakistani militant ‘Mateen Chacha’.
According to the objections filed by the Defence Ministry, Lt Gen Singh, who was then a Brigadier commanding the 1 Sector Rashtriya Rifles in south Kashmir, was returning to Anantnag after visiting various Army units.
Later, when the Army convoy stopped at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag, a militant disguised as a beggar opened indiscriminate fire upon the Armymen.
The dead included Colonel J P Jam, the then Commanding Officer of a local RR unit, Sepoy Ganesh Kumar, Muhammad Shafi son of Abdul Rasheed of Hazratbal-Anantnag, and Abdul Ahad Sheikh son of Ghulam Muhammad Sheikh of Janglat Mandi-Anantnag.
Another person was killed in the retaliatory action of the army and police later ‘identified’ him as a resident of Pakistan.
The counsels for the Defence Ministry, Advocate Karnail Wazir Singh and the petitioner Advocate Zaffar Ahmad Qureshi were also present in the court.

NEW DELHI, May 2:
Carrying forward its probe on the bribery allegation made by Army Chief Gen V K Singh, the CBI today questioned retired Lt Gen Tejinder Singh for the first time for his alleged role in the Tatra case.
Singh arrived at the CBI headquarters this morning and was grilled at length in connection with the Tatra case as the probe so far suggested role of some former Army officers in clearing the deal for the trucks, official sources said.
They said Singh was also asked to reply to the allegations levelled against him by the Army Chief who claimed in his statement that the former Lt Gen had approached him in 2010 with a bribe offer of Rs 14 crore to clear a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks for the Army.
Sources in the CBI said, Tejinder Singh was asked about the reasons of his visit to Army Chief’s office on September 22, 2010 when the alleged bribe offer was made to Gen V K Singh.
Tejinder Singh has denied all these allegations and also filed a contempt case against the Army Chief.
The CBI had recorded the statement of Army Chief on April 20 in which he had made the allegation against Tejinder Singh saying that he had made the offer on behalf of Ravi Rishi of Tatra trucks, the sources said.
Rishi and his company, Vectra, have also denied any wrong doing in the case.
CBI has registered a case in purchases of Tatra Trucks to Army on March 30 against Rishi, unknown officials of Defence Ministry and UK-based Vectra company.
The CBI sources claimed that documents showed that there was an apparent hurry shown in signing the Memorandum of Understanding in just three days between Tatra Sipox UK and the BEML in June, 1997.
Rishi holding substantial shares in Tatra Sipox UK has denied allegations of any wrong doing.
The agency is probing alleged irregularities in assigning supply from Czechoslovakia-based Tatra, with which the agreement was originally signed in 1986, to the Tatra-Sipox UK owned by Rishi in 1997 showing it as Original Equipment Manufacturer and the fully-owned subsidiary of Czech company, they said.
A CBI spokesperson had said this was against the provisions of Defence Procurement Procedure for supplying the vehicles to Indian Army on the basis of the orders placed by the Ministry of Defence.
“It is further alleged that in this manner, vehicles worth thousands of crores of rupees have been supplied to the Indian Army. In continuation of the aforesaid conspiracy to cause undue benefit to the UK-based company, the unknown officials of the Defence PSU allowed change of currency from US Dollar to Euro and further by not levying the Liquidated damages, thereby causing further loss of Rs 13.27 crores,” the CBI had said. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 2: On fourth day of his admission in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah today showed further signs of response to viral infection and chest congestion but was expected to stay in the hospital for few more days.
Doctors attending upon the Union Minister said he has shown further signs of improvement and was responding very well to the treatment.
A team of four expert doctors of the AIIMS was holding regular medical examination of Dr Abdullah and conducting required tests.
“The Union Minister was comfortable”, the doctors said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was camping in New Delhi, visited AIIMS for third consecutive day this evening and inquired condition of his father. He remained with Dr Abdullah for about one hour.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 2: Savita Gupta, a daughter of Jammu was today elected as Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation with a comfortable margin of 20 votes. She has become first woman of Jammu and Kashmir to head a Corporation in the Union Capital.
In the election held today for 104 member Corporation of South Delhi for the post of Mayor, BJP leader Savita Gupta, a resident of Rehari Colony, Jammu, polled 66 votes while her NCP rival Phool Kali, backed by the Congress, secured 46 votes.
Besides 104 Corporations, MLAs and MPs of the area were also entitled to cast their votes for the post of Mayor.
Mrs Gupta, daughter of Satish Chander Gupta, a retired Under Secretary and Raj Rani Gupta and sister of Arvind Gupta, had made hat-trick this time from Ward No. 160, Amar Colony in South Delhi.
She was married to Ashwani Gupta of Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, a civil engineer, now running a construction company.
Mrs Gupta’s candidature for the post of Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation was announced by senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi and Incharge J&K in Jammu recently.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 2: Former Speaker and sitting MLA of the Congress from Surankote, Ch Mohd Aslam and veteran journalist and human rights activist Balraj Puri have been hospitalized in the Government Medical College and Hospital.
According to Dr Manoj Chalotra, Medical Superintendent of Government Medical College and Hospital, Ch Aslam and Balraj Puri were brought to the Emergency Wing of the Hospital by their respective family members last right.
While Ch Aslam was suffering from hypertension and cardiac related problems, Balraj Puri was diagnosed for brain infarct.
Soon after examination, Ch Aslam was shifted to the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) while as Balraj Puri was kept under observation in the Emergency Wing itself. They were examined by senior doctors after regular intervals during the day today.
According to Dr Chalotra, the condition of Ch Aslam as well as Balraj Puri was stable.
Minister for Medical Education, R S Chib and Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, visited Ch Aslam as well as Balraj Puri and enquired about their health.