Srinagar, January 4
Encouraged by its performance in the last Assembly byelections in Jammu and Kashmir, the ruling PDP is all set to fight the Opposition National Conference here in the polls to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation scheduled to be held on February 1.

The elections to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to be held after a period of 25 years would also be a testing time for both the ruling PDP and Opposition National Conference in view of their performance in power. While it is the six-years’ performance of the National Conference, it is two years’ performance of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed’s Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) at the head of a multi-party coalition government in the state.

The PDP retained the Pahalgam Assembly constituency, electing Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, while it made inroads into the NC bastion of Srinagar by wresting Batamaloo constituency in the byelections last year. The party president, who then represented Pahalgam constituency, was elected from Anantnag to the Lok Sabha. Its main alliance partner, the Congress, retained its two seats of Akhnoor and Kathua in Jammu region that had fallen vacant due to the election of two members to the Lok Sabha.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu, in a notification on December 31 announced the election schedule for municipal bodies of the state except Leh, Kargil and the municipal committee of Tangmarg in Baramulla district and the municipal committees of Achabal-Kokernag and Pahalgam in Anantnag district. The whole election process of the remaining municipal bodies would be completed in 8 phases starting from January 8 to February 17, 2005, an official spokesman said.

Two days after the announcement of the election schedule, the Opposition National Conference has expressed its apprehensions of rigging in the municipal elections and urged the Centre to ensure free and fair elections. It is yet to decide on its participation in the elections that is expected within a week after the party president and former Union Minister Omar Abdullah discusses the issue with his party colleagues here. A former minister and Jammu province president, Mr Ajay Sadhotra, has raised questions over the election schedule “aimed at rigging elections,” particularly in Pahalgam, Kokernag, Tangmarg and Achabal areas, saying that the exclusion of these areas was a deliberate move. These belonged to constituencies of Chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, State Congress chief and Rural Development Minister Perzada Mohammad Sayeed and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, taking cognizance of the ensuing elections, particularly to Srinagar Municipal Corporation, had an extensive tour of the city last Monday. Accompanied by one of his ministers and senior civil and police officers, Mufti Sayeed took stock of development projects and peoples' problems. Mufti went to the interiors of the old city meeting people and walked through inner lanes and bylanes to see the civic amenities and infrastructure requirements. Touching an emotional chord, Mufti also revived his old memories and visited the house at Aali Kadal where he had spent his student days and met with the family members. He also visited various shrines and enquired of the basic facilities to the devotees in view of the winter season.

Votes for Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Jammu Municipal Corporation would be polled on February 1. For municipal council and committees in Baramulla and Kupwara districts, votes would be polled on January 29, while votes for municipal council and committees in Anantnag and Pulwama districts would be polled on February 6. Similarly, votes for municipal corporation, Jammu, would be polled on February I, votes for municipal council/committees in Jammu and Kathua districts would be polled on February 7, while votes for municipal council/committees in Doda and Udhampur districts will be polled on February 12.The votes for municipal council/committees in Rajouri and Poonch districts will be polled on February 17, 2005.

Asserting that the government was keen to de-centralise all powers to elected representatives in municipal corporations and other local bodies, the Minister for Tourism and Urban Development, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, has said that coalition partners would extend all support to candidates having a reputation of dedication and honesty in their areas and would not float their candidates against such persons in the ensuing municipal elections. He has reiterated firm determination of the coalition government to hold transparent, free and fair elections to the local bodies and other public institutions.

Srinagar, January 4
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worker was among two people killed by ultras, while militants hurled three hand grenades in the city today.

Official sources said unidentified militants shot Ghulam Rasool Khan, a senior assistant in the Roads and Buildings Department, when he was coming out of his office at Daresh Kadal in downtown Srinagar in the afternoon.

Khan, a resident of Batmaloo and a worker of the PDP, died before he could be shifted to hospital.

The sources said the police had launched a search in the area to trace the militants.

The militants hurled two hand grenades at Nowhatta this afternoon. One of the grenades exploded without causing any damage while the other was defused by the security forces.

Meanwhile, panic gripped the Badshah Chowk, near here, when the militants hurled a hand grenade towards the BSF.

The grenade did not explode and was later defused by the bomb disposal squad.

The sources also said unidentified gunmen shot a teacher of Darul-Aloom at Chatergul Achabal in south Kashmir district of Anantnag last night. — UNI

Jammu, January 4
Following a series of incidents in which militants carried out strikes against the security forces in the guise of men in Army combat dress, the Jammu District Magistrate has imposed a ban on sale of Army uniform to unauthorised persons.

The order provides for regulating procurement, storage and sale of the Army combat dress.

Under the order no unauthorised person shall procure, purchase, store or stitch or sell Army combat uniform cloth or readymade combat dress. The dealers, including retailers and wholesalers, have been instructed to inform the nearest police station about their occupation of combat dress sellers within one week.

The authorised dealers have been instructed to maintain a register giving details of the items received and date of sale of the items along with the address, name and identity cards.

Only bonfide members of the Armed forces are entitled to purchase the uniform or the combat dress. The District Magistrate has directed the police men of the rank of ASI or above to check and inspect registers maintained by dealers.

According to Mr Ram Sahai, president, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there “are about 250 retailers and 11 wholesalers, procuring and selling the Indian Army combat dress and uniform cloth in the region.”

He demanded either a total ban on the sale of combat dress or strict regulation so that the dress material did not fall in the hands of militants.

The District Magistrate, Mr Hirdesh Kumar Singh said the order would remain in force for two months.

Dr Hari Om, vice president of the state unit of the BJP, said here today that either the District Magistrate should revive the order after the passage of two months or issue a fresh order which could remain in force for an indefinite period.

Mr Hari Om said in the series of Fidayeen attacks on security camps and pickets, militants had taken advantage of going close to the security zone in the guise of Army men or police officials.

He said the sale of combat dress or Army or police uniforms be limited to a few retailers so that it was easy for the police to inspect the record daily.

Jammu, January 4
The Army Chief, Gen N.C. Vij, will lay the foundation stone of a war memorial here on January 6.

The war memorial is being constructed by the Army in Jammu to commemorate the sacrifices made by soldiers of the Army, paramilitary forces and the police in the state. Presently, there is no memorial of this kind in Jammu and Kashmir, which claims the maximum number of sacrifices by all security forces and the police. It is being constructed with scenic beauty alround and includes musical fountains and beautiful gardens.

The war memorial has been planned with a 60-metre high structure, which would be visible from the entire city and its surroundings.