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Sunday,
September 8, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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‘House
arrest’ gives rise to mistrust 27 Jammu
booths relocated CONSTITUENCY PROFILE
— HANDWARA Poster war
in Poonch, Rajouri Khalsa
refuses to retreat Parties
get time slot on DD, AIR Resignations
of 2 J&K ministers accepted |
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Poll
observers
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‘House arrest’ gives rise
to mistrust Jammu, September 7 However, conflicting views are available on the house arrest of the leaders. According to a spokesman of the
APHC, who was present with Bhat, “complete restrictions on our movement were ordered at 6 a.m. yesterday. He told TNS that all four leaders were not allowed to move out of their houses nor was anyone allowed in. He said the restrictions were lifted at 5.30 p.m. Sources close to the APHC leaders said the restrictions were imposed to prevent them from launching an anti-poll campaign at the Friday congregations at mosques. They added that another reason was to provoke them so that the Hurriyat team cancelled their Delhi visit and refused negotiations with the Kashmir Committee. The sources said the Hurriyat leaders had announced their plan to leave Srinagar for Delhi yesterday for which the air tickets had been booked. Since the government agencies knew in advance about the visit there was no justification in placing them under house arrest. A senior government functionary said, “If our plan was to scuttle the peace process we could have also placed under house arrest Molvi Umar Farooq and Sheikh Ali Mohammad, who were also part of the Hurriyat team set up to meet Mr
Jethmalani.” The team left for Delhi today. The officer said the government had no intention of preventing the Hurriyat leaders from addressing the Friday congregation in mosques. He said Molvi Umar Farooq, a senior Hurriyat leader, had visited Jamia Masjid yesterday where he addressed a large gathering. But the Hurriyat leaders are not prepared to accept the government version. They alleged that since the National Conference leadership was jittery over the poor response of voters to its pre-poll rallies it was against any peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue. They said, “We are least interested which party is voted to power because election is no answer to the Kashmir problem.” The problem, they said, “has to be settled through sustained dialogue and that is why we have accepted an invitation from the committee. |
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27 Jammu booths relocated
Jammu, September 7 Twenty three booths in Surankot, one in Mendhar and three in Poonch districts had been relocated, District Election Officer Pawan Kotwal said here. Mr Lyngdoh reviewed poll and security arrangements in Rajouri and Poonch districts at high-level meetings with senior civil and police officials yesterday. He instructed officials to make all-out efforts to ensure a free and fair poll, an official spokesman said. Mr Kotwal said in the Surankote Assembly constituency, the polling station 4-A Sanai, at present located in the primary school has been clubbed with polling station 4-A Sanai-B at primary school, Mohalla Khoja. Polling station 16-A Draba-D located in mobile primary school Bhatangiwala has been clubbed with 16-Draba-C at primary school Khet Draba. Polling station Draba-A and PS 19-Buffliaz-D located in middle school, Draba and PS Mastan Draba have been re-located in Panchayatgarh Draba and primary school lower Mastan Draba respectively. Polling station 20 Buffliaz-E and 21 Buffliaz, located at primary school, Chamrer Buffliaz, and PS Sawni Buffliaz have been clubbed with 18 Buffli AZ-BHR Secondary School, Buffliaz. PS 22 Mehra-A and 23 Mehra-B located in PS Mehra and Mehra Khokrian have been re-located in primary school, Hillan. Similarly, PS 24-A Behram Gala-B, 25-A Chandimarh-B and 26 Chandimarh-C located in PS Mohalla Manai, PS Dhrab Galla and Primary School Kalahari, Chandimarh have been clubbed with 24-Behram Galla-A, (PS) Behram Galla 25 Chandimarh-A (HS) Chandimarh, respectively. In the Mendher segment polling station, 46-Tarkundi located in Academy Building Tarkundi Gali has been clubbed with 45-Behrotti-B (PS Glutta) with authorisation to allow the polling party of 45-Behroti-B to conduct voting for 46-Tarkundi too. In the Poonch-Haveli segment, PS 8-A-Kanuian located at PS Dana upper Kanuian has been relocated to tented accommodation, 1 km below the existing site, while 12-Khanater-C and PS-13
Khanater-D located in the building of PS Duprian Khanater and Kalsan Khanater have been relocated to MS
Tanda. PTI |
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CONSTITUENCY PROFILE — HANDWARA Handwara, September 7 The Agriculture Minister, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, sitting member from this constituency of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, is pitted against Mr Ali Mohammad Dar of the Congress and six Independents. One of the Independents, Abdul Rahman Sheikh, was shot dead by militants along with three others at Wadipora, near here, yesterday. Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan has represented the constituency thrice in the 1983, 1987 and 1996 elections. The Independents left in the fray include Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi whose filing of nomination papers had created a major controversy. The controversy emerged over the alleged support by the Peoples Conference, a constituent of the separatist Hurriyat Conference. The Peoples Conference, having assured the Hurriyat Conference, of which it is one of the main constituents, of abiding by the pact was later not suspended from the separatist conglomerate on the issue of its support to four Independent candidates in the fray. Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi and Abdul Rashid Mirchal had resigned from the party much before filing their nominations, according to Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Ghani Lone. The assassinated founder-chairman of the Peoples Conference and senior executive member of the Hurriyat Conference, Abdul Ghani Lone, represented this constituency thrice from 1967 to 1977 elections. Against the total of nine candidates who are in the fray after scrutiny and withdrawals this time, there were only four candidates in the fray from the Handwara constituency in the 1996 elections. Then Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan of the National Conference got elected by defeating Ali Mohammad Dar of the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Peer of the Janata Dal and Taji Begum of the Panthers Party. The electorate comprises 5,5873 voters, including 29,513 males and 26,360 females, against 52,943 voters in the 1996 elections. As many as 84 polling stations have been set up in the constituency. Eight candidates are left in the fray following the killing of the Independent. The killing, according to Election officials here, would not lead to postponement or suspension of elections, as he did not belong to any registered political party. The Independent candidates have been campaigning in the interior villages around the town, despite threats from militants. The candidates hold public meetings in small hamlets around the town where small podiums are erected under shamianas for the candidates. People in clusters wait for hours for the candidates around podiums beneath walnut trees and in maize fields on the foothills covered by sky-touching pine trees. Peasants in groups march from one place to another, raising pro-freedom slogans as also in support of their independent candidates. “If there is rigging, each rigged vote will lead to the creation of a Salahuddin”, threatened a young supporter of Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi, an Independent candidate outside the town. “There has been exploitation and we do not want the things to be repeated”, he added. A unique feature of the campaigning is the blend of seeking support through folk singers and political speeches by candidates. Apart from traditional canvassing methods like holding rallies, hoisting party banners and buntings and pasting posters, the contestants are moving around their constituencies in all modes of transport to reach the electors. The issues here, like in many other areas around, are confined to basic facilities, progress, development, education, employment to educated youth and have “nothing to do with major issues”. |
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Poster war in Poonch, Rajouri Jammu, September 7 Over 6.05 lakh voters have to decide the fate of 51 candidates in seven constituencies. The Rajouri constituency has the maximum of 14 candidates, followed by nine in Darhal, five each in Nowshehra and Kalakot. There are 18 candidates in the three constituencies of Poonch district. The Muslim-dominated Poonch and Rajouri districts have been traditional stronghold of the National Conference. In 1996 poll, the National Conference had bagged all the three seats in Poonch district. In Rajouri district it had bagged two of the four seats, Rajouri and Darhal. The remaining two seats had gone to the Congress. Though there are 33 candidates in the four constituencies in Rajouri district, the contest in Darhal and Kalakot is going to be between the Congress and the National Conference. Because of NC rebel candidates in Rajouri and Darhal it may be a multicornered contest. Nowshehra had sent a Congress leader to the Assembly in 1996. However, the situation for Mr R. S. Sharma, who quit the Congress and joined the National Conference which has fielded him from Nowshehra, is different. He faces tough challenge from Mr Romesh Chander, Congress. Mr Sushil Kumar, Independent, and backed by the RSS-led State Morcha, could have posed a serious challenge to both the Congress and the NC had not Mr Vishwinder Dev, entered into the fray as an Independent. He was an aspirant of the BJP ticket, but the party left the seat to the State Morcha candidate. In Kalakot, it is going to be a neck and neck contest between Mr Ashok Sharma of the Congress and Mr Rachupaul Singh of the National Conference. Besides there are candidates from the BJP, PDP and the BSP in the field. In 1996 Mr Ashok Sharma had won the seat on the Congress ticket by polling 14169 votes against his nearest rival Mr Puran Singh Thakur of the National Conference who polled 4194 votes. In the Darhal constituency it could have been a cakewalk for the NC candidate, Mr Liaqat Ali, had not the NC rebels entered the field. The NC antagonised Mr Mohd. Hussain, who had won from Darhal on five occasions, and was a sitting MLA, when the ruling party denied the ticket to his son, Mr Zulfiqar Hussain. Mr Mohd Hussain had opted out of the contest because of severe health problem. As part of his reaction he resigned from the ministry. He can turn the tables on the National Conference. That is only if NC vote don’t split. Darhal is a Gujjar-dominated constituency. The NC candidate, Mr Liaqat Ali, is banking on his close relation with Mian Bashir. In the Rajouri constituency it is going to be a multi-cornered contest. Some Independent candidates, some supported by Mr M. S. Tariq, MLA, have enough clout. There are 18 candidates, but one expects a triangular contest among, Mr Qamar Hussain, Congress, Mr Mohd. Aslam, NC and an Independent. In the three Assembly constituencies it is going to be a neck and neck contest between the Congress and the National Conference. It is after a long time that the NC will face a Congress veteran Mr Mohi. Aslam, in Surankot, who had lost to the NC by over 8,000 votes in 1996 poll. This time also the NC has fielded Mr Mushtaq Ahmed. In Mendhar the NC has dropped the sitting MLA, Mr Nissar Ahmed Khan and given the mandate to Mr Javed Ahmed. Mr Rafiq Hussain Khan, a former minister, has entered into the field as an Independent candidate. Both the candidates may cut the traditional NC votes. Though there are five candidates, the main tussle is among the Congress, NC and the Independent candidate, Rafiq Hussain Khan. In Poonch, the Congress candidate, Mr Yash Paul Sharma, is to face the NC candidate, Mr G. M. Jan, a sitting MLA. In 1996 he had polled 10722 votes as an Independent against 16150 polled by the NC candidate. |
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Khalsa refuses
to retreat Jammu, September 7 Despite expulsion from the Akali Dal, Mr Charanjit Singh Khalsa today declared that he would contest the election. He said that for the last several years there has been an alliance between the BJP and the Akali Dal not only in Punjab but in Jammu and Kashmir. He told newsmen here that since the BJP had given him the mandate he had to respect the spirit of the alliance. Mr Charanjit Singh, who was assisted by several senior Sikh leaders, alleged that he had been expelled from the Akali Dal following pressure from the NC candidate, Mr Harbans Singh, and other NC leaders. |
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Parties
get time slot on DD, AIR Srinagar, September 7 The decision was taken after a draw of lots conducted by state Chief Electoral Officer Pramod Jain in the presence of representatives of all recognised political parties. The ruling National Conference is the only local party which will be wooing voters through the state-run media. The other political parties which have been allotted time slot on Doordarshan and the AIR are the Congress, BJP, BSP, CPI and the Nationalist Congress Party. However, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Panthers Party and the Janta Dal (United) will not be able to avail this opportunity as these have not been recognised.
UNI |
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Resignations
of 2 J&K ministers accepted Srinagar, September 7 Mr Namgiyal quit a fortnight ago after the formation of the Ladakh Union Territory front and Mehmood resigned last week after being denied ticket from the Badgam constituency. The resignations were accepted by Mr Sexena yesterday on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, they said.
PTI |
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Poll observers Srinagar, September 7 |
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