Bandipora goes to Gupkar, Independent wins Baramulla

Elections deferred in three districts of Jammu due to lack of quorum

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Elections for posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson of the district development council (DDC) were held in two districts of Kashmir in the final phase on Saturday, while a lack of quorum forced adjournment of polls in three of the four districts in Jammu region.

In Kashmir, PAGD controls five out of 10 DDCs, two are with independents, two with Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party, while People’s Conference (PC) has bagged lone Kupwara seat. Earlier, PAGD was eyeing nine out of 10 DDCs, however, cross-voting and defections by some DDC members affected the Alliance’s prospects.

In Baramulla, where polls were deffered earlier, independent candidate Safeena Baigh was elected chairperson with 10 votes, against PAGD candidate Qurat Bashir, who secured only four votes. Baramulla was a reserved constituency for women. Safeena, wife of former MP Muzuffar Baigh, was also president of the PDP women wing. However, the couple resigned from the PDP ahead of the DDC polls.

Safeena was supported by PC which had 3 votes and Apni Party having two votes, besides independent candidates.

In Bandipore, PAGD candidate Abdul Gani Bhat won the chairman post while Kousar Jabeen became his deputy. With this win, PAGD has emerged as the single big alliance in Kashmir. It had already won Pulwama, Anantnag, Ganderbal, Kulgam DDCs.

Meanwhile in Jammu, incomplete quorum compelled the district election officers to adjourn chairperson elections in Ramban, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts.

Ramban deputy commissioner Mussarat-ul-Islam, who was the district election officer, said, “The election for DDC chairperson and vice-chairperson had to be adjourned because of lack of quorum. Out of the total 14 elected members, only eight turned up. Six of them were from National Conference and two from Congress.” The DC said fresh election to the top DDC posts will be held within a week.

PAGD has majority in Ramban, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts. In Poonch, Independent Tazim Akhtar was elected as chairperson and Mohammad Ashfaq became his deputy.