The Hindu : First notification on J&K polls issued

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 23, 2002

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First notification on J&K polls issued

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR AUG. 22. The process for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir formally began today with the issuance of notification for the first phase when 26 Assembly segments will go to the polls. Meanwhile, the ruling National Conference released its list of candidates for the first phase by introducing 11 new faces. However, the bigwigs in the party have retained their candidature.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Pramod Jain, said, ``notification for the first phase was issued at midnight and nominations are being received from the contesting candidates in the six districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, Rajouri, Poonch, Leh and Kargil''.

An ordinance amending the People's Representation Act, 1957, was also issued in order to make the contestants file their affidavit in support of their non involvement in any criminal activity as also about their assets and liabilities.

The CEO said that in the first phase on September 16, 26 Assembly segments would go to the polls for which the last date for filing nomination is August 30. Adequate security is being provided to the candidates and workers of all political parties.

The National Conference's list has surprised many. The Parliamentary Board of the party which met here today with the Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, in the chair approved the list.

In Kupwara district, four candidates, including Ministers, Chowdary Mohammad Ramzan (Handwara) and Mushtaq Lone (Lolab) are contesting again alongwith Saifullah Mir and Kafilu Rehman from Kupwara and Karnah constituencies. Rajya Sabha MP, Shariefuddin Shariq, will contest from the Langate segment.

Accordingly, the NC bigwigs, Abdul Ahad Vakil, Mohammad Shafi, Moulvi Iftikhar Ansari and Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, have been re-nominated from Sopore, Uri, Pattan and Tangmarg segments. While the sitting MLA from Rafiabad, Mohammad Dillawar Mir, will contest as the NC candidate this time, Nazir Ahmed Khan (Gurez), Mohammad Yousuf Bhat (Sangrama), Ghulam Nabi Kachroo (Baramulla) are the new entrants.

Former militant-turned-counter insurgent leader-turned MLC, Javid Hussain Shah, will be the NC candidate from Bandipore. Similarly, Mohammad Akbar Lone will try his luck again this time from Sonwari where he lost to counter insurgency ''king'' and Awami League chief, Kukka Parray, in 1996.

From Rajouri and Poonch districts also, two former Ministers one sitting Minister Mohammad Sharief Tariq, Nissar Ahmed Khan and Chowdary Hussain have been dropped.

The new faces are, Chowdary Liyaqat Ali ( Darhal), Mohammad Aslam (Rajouri), R S Sharma (Nowshehra), Javed Rana (Mendhar) and Kanwar Rachpal Singh (Kalakote).

The Minister of State, Mushtaq Bukhari and sitting MLA, G.M.Jan, will contest again from the Surankote and Poonch-Haveli segments.

Accordingly, the Minister of State for works, Qamar Ali Akhoon, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Testan Namgayal, will again contest from Kargil and Nobra constituencies alongwith Mohammad Abbas from Zanskar. The Leh segment is still undecided and the party president, Omar Abdullah, will fly there to consult the party leaders for nominating a candidate.

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