Kashmir civic polls: No candidate or no contest in 60% of seats

[shaaik]

J&K municipal polls: In four municipal bodies, no candidate has come forward in more than half the seats, while in at least 12 of the 24 municipal bodies, no voting would be needed.

In four municipal bodies, no candidate has come forward in more than half the seats, while in at least 12 of the 24 municipal bodies, no voting would be needed.
In almost 60 per cent of the seats going for municipal polls in the Valley in the first two phases, either no candidate has filed nomination or nominees have been elected unopposed. In four municipal bodies, no candidate has come forward in more than half the seats, while in at least 12 of the 24 municipal bodies, no voting would be needed.

A total of 315 seats will go to polls in the first two phases, on October 8 and October 10, of which 185 have seen either no candidate or no contest. These seats do not include the more volatile regions of the Valley, including Shopian, Tral, Pulwama and Awantipora in South Kashmir and Hajin and Sopore in North Kashmir — going to polls in the third and fourth phases — which may see even more muted response.

The figures for 307 seats were released by Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra four days after the last date of filing of nominations ended for the first phase. Asked what would happen to the 62 seats where no candidate had filed nomination, Kabra said “such seats would see by-elections”. On 123 seats being won uncontested, he said, “It is the people’s choice.”

The response for the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, however, has been huge. For its 23 wards going to polls in the first two phases, 89 candidates have filed nomination papers.

Not a single candidate has filed nomination papers from Frisal municipality (13 wards) in South Kashmir’s Kulgam; only one has come forward in Beerwah municipality (13 wards) of Central Kashmir’s Budgam; South Kashmir’s Bijbehara municipality (17 wards) has five candidates; and Yaripora municipality (6 wards) of Kulgam has three candidates in the fray. In Central Kashmir’s Chadoora municipality, while there are no candidates for five wards, the remaining eight have one candidate each, who have been declared elected unopposed.

Similarly, there would be no elections in Qazigund, Achabal, Devsar, Kulgam and Khansahib municipalities. In Kulgam town, there is no candidate for eight of 13 wards, while five candidates have been elected unopposed. In Qazigund, out of the seven wards, three have drawn a blank while candidates on four seats have been elected unopposed. In eight wards of Achabal municipality, three have no candidates while five seats have been won unopposed. All the eight candidates in the eight wards of Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam have been elected unopposed. Similarly in Khansahib municipality in Central Kashmir’s Budgam, all the seven candidates have been elected unopposed.

The seats which will see a contest are in Kupwara, Handwara and Bandipore municipalities and Baramulla Municipal Council. In Kupwara, while two candidates have been elected unopposed on 13 seats, 31 are in the fray for the rest 11 wards. In Handwara, candidates in six wards have been elected unopposed while 29 are in fray for the other seven wards. In Bandipore, 40 candidates will contest for 12 wards while one has been elected unopposed.

In Baramulla Municipal Council, candidates in six wards have been elected unopposed while 40 are in fray for the other 15 wards.

https://indianexpress.com/article/i...r-no-contest-in-60-per-cent-of-seats-5380552/

 

[shaaik]

Victory after winning just a single vote in farcical J&K civic poll
Until now, 1989 has been considered the worst year as far as election turnouts go — when militancy took hold of the Valley.

In one ward in the Valley, a candidate won where just three votes were cast; in Baramulla, a candidate won securing the lone vote cast; and in Srinagar, nobody won, even the three candidates did not cast votes. These are among the results of the Jammu and Kashmir urban local bodies election announced Saturday, which sharply underline that the turnout in Kashmir — 4.27 per cent — was the lowest in any election held in the state since 1951.

Until now, 1989 has been considered the worst year as far as election turnouts go — when militancy took hold of the Valley. In the Lok Sabha elections that year, the turnout was only 5.18 per cent in the Baramulla and Anantnag parliamentary seats that went to the polls — the candidate from Srinagar was elected unopposed.

Till the results of the ULB polls were announced on Saturday, the candidates were faceless. The Election Commission held back the names until the day of voting. Voters knew their candidates’ names only as they went in to vote. There was no election campaigning. The entire process was wrapped in secrecy. The election office even refused to allow free access to media to cover these elections. By Saturday night, official numbers showed that Independents emerged as the single largest group in the elections in Kashmir winning 178 wards across 42 municipal bodies, including Leh and Kargil. The Congress won 157 wards and the BJP 100 wards in the Valley.

And with the PDP and NC announcing a boycott of the elections, a similar trend favouring independents characterised the results in Jammu where the BJP won 169 seats followed by independents at 167 and the Congress at 96.

Governor Satyapal Malik told The Indian Express after the last phase of voting that he was “extremely satisfied” with how the election had been conducted. “Delhi is also satisfied. 10,000 people came out to vote in Srinagar, that’s a big number,” Malik said.

Amitabh Mattoo, who was an advisor to the Mehbooba Mufti while she was Chief Minister, said even an imperfect situation may result in a “positive contagion”.

“This was not an imperfect election, but at the very least, it expands the constituency of stakeholders who have an interest in the stability of the economy and polity. In a democracy, every legitimate vote counts. Respect the choice of those who stay away, but will never demean those who cast their vote,” Mattoo said.

But others are asking how credible the democratic process is in which only a handful participated, either as candidates or as voters.

“By persisting with the elections without first trying to address anger on the streets and compounding that by believing that an election without (National Conference) NC and (Peoples Democratic Party) PDP would have any meaning, all that the central government has been able to achieve is the least credible elections in the state,” former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah told The Indian Express.

In the 2005 municipal polls and the 2011 panchayat polls, enthusiastic voters had defied militant threats to come out in vast numbers to strengthen grassroots democracy. While the peoples’ participation in the 2005 municipal polls stood at around 45 per cent, over 80 per cent voters turned up during the 2011 panchayat polls. The winners had voters to show for their victory.
“Before the elections, we had said two things need to be taken care of for the credibility of these elections — taking the political parties on board and creating a favourable security situation in Valley. But that was not done,” State Congress president G A Mir said. “It was the responsibility of the government to ensure maximum participation. When we were in power, we recorded 80 per cent turnout in the panchayat polls and then, around 60 per cent in the 2014 assembly polls. What have they done?”

No elections were held at 420 out of the 598 municipal wards spread across the 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley. Of these 420 wards, there was no candidate in 184 wards, while in 236, candidates were elected unopposed.

There was no voting in at least 25 municipal bodies — 17 of them fall in south Kashmir, while five in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and three in north Kashmir.

In fact, in two municipal committees — Khrew and Frisal in south Kashmir — no candidate contested the elections while in Beerwah in central Kashmir and Awantipora in south Kashmir only one candidate filed his nomination for 13 seats each.

The vacant seats — over 50 per cent in some cases — have raised a question about the constitutionality and functioning of these municipal bodies.

“Barring three four (municipal) committees, the other committees will function even if more than half of seats remain vacant,” Additional Secretary, Housing and Urban Development department Narendar Khajuria told The Indian Express. “The bye-elections for the vacant seats will be announced soon”.

The only silver lining in these elections was that unlike the past, the Valley did not witness even a single incident of violence during the four-phase election making it the most peaceful poll in the last three decades.

https://indianexpress.com/article/i...ingle-vote-in-farcical-jk-civic-poll-5410953/

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

Great to see such a show of enthusiasm for the country.

 

[Napa]

Great to see such a show of enthusiasm for the country.

It could be a lack of enthusiasm, or a fear that they will be targeted if they stand for elections or if they vote.

 

[enkidu_]

It could be a lack of enthusiasm, or a fear that they will be targeted if they stand for elections or if they vote.

They're the same peoples rising against Indian occupation, often with weapons, and dying in the process, so I doubt voting would bring them any more danger than being subversive to the repressive Hindutva State.

 

[Napa]

They're the same peoples rising against Indian occupation, often with weapons, and dying in the process, so I doubt voting would bring them any more danger than being subversive to the repressive Hindutva State.

Those who want to participate in the democratic process are not the ones who are dying.

You need to calm down. You have this hysterical opinion about a "repressive Hindutva State" that is not doing anyone any good. Kashmiris have all the democratic rights that other Indians have, and additional rights whereby they can buy property outside their state whereas people from other states cannot buy property in J&K.

If you have any understanding of how the world works, you should realize Kashmir will remain Indian in the future. The only choice is between poverty and prosperity.

 

[enkidu_]

Those who want to participate in the democratic process are not the ones who are dying.

You need to calm down. You have this hysterical opinion about a "repressive Hindutva State" that is not doing anyone any good. Kashmiris have all the democratic rights that other Indians have, and additional rights whereby they can buy property outside their state whereas people from other states cannot buy property in J&K.

If you have any understanding of how the world works, you should realize Kashmir will remain Indian in the future. The only choice is between poverty and prosperity.

And you have this autistic approach about Kashmir that it doesn't matter if they don't have a sense of belonging to the federation and see their relatives' blood used in holi on a regular basis but that somehow Indian money will wash all of this out.

I already told you there's no reason Kashmiris would be more prosperous than Dalits or generic Muslims (Sachar committee), even if we do admit the Kashmiris' grievances are due to financial security.

You should study history to see how a proud people works for its freedom instead of sticking your banya/pro-East India Company mentality everywhere.

 

[Romali_rotti]

And you have this autistic approach about Kashmir that it doesn't matter if they don't have a sense of belonging to the federation and see their relatives' blood used in holi on a regular basis but that somehow Indian money will wash all of this out.

I already told you there's no reason Kashmiris would be more prosperous than Dalits or generic Muslims (Sachar committee), even if we do admit the Kashmiris' grievances are due to financial security.

You should study history to see how a proud people works for its freedom instead of sticking your banya/pro-East India Company mentality everywhere.

Nice inspirational post..




















Now to Reality: WHO CARES ? Pakistan is not getting Kashmir

 

[Kaptan]

There is no denying that situation in Kashmir has worsene after 2013.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Modi government has completely mishandled the Kashmir situation, like they have done with so many other things.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Modi government has completely mishandled the Kashmir situation, like they have done with so many other things.

never thought it would happen, but modi has made even rahul gandhi look good in comparison.

 

[Napa]

And you have this autistic approach about Kashmir that it doesn't matter if they don't have a sense of belonging to the federation and see their relatives' blood used in holi on a regular basis but that somehow Indian money will wash all of this out.

The blood of relatives will stop flowing as soon as the relatives stop attacking the security forces. "used in holi"? Don't be a drama queen. Not realizing the real choices the Kashmiris have is the real autism.

I already told you there's no reason Kashmiris would be more prosperous than Dalits or generic Muslims (Sachar committee), even if we do admit the Kashmiris' grievances are due to financial security.

You have said many things but that doesn't make them true. Kashmir has as much tourist potential as Goa and tourism has made Goa very rich. The Kashmiris have shot themselves in the foot by driving out the tourists.

You should study history to see how a proud people works for its freedom instead of sticking your banya/pro-East India Company mentality everywhere.

Firstly you should stop disrespecting Banyas. A guy like Mohinder Amarnath, son of Lala Amarnath, has more courage in his little toenail than you have in your entire body. As for "reading history", maybe you do not know that it was the Bengalis and the Punjabis rather than the Kashmiris who led the armed struggle against the British, so drop the East India Company reference.

 

[Napa]

There is no denying that situation in Kashmir has worsene after 2013.

It goes through cycles, it is probably a lot better than it was in 1990.

 

[shaaik]

It goes through cycles, it is probably a lot better than it was in 1990.

You have no idea how bad the situation has gotten in kashmir in last 10 yrs. The only difference to 90s is that there was an absolute information black out in Kashmir in 90s but with the advent of Socail media the world now has become more aware about the atrocities that india is carrying out on poor kashmiris supported by the draconian laws like Armed Force special power Act.

 

[enkidu_]

The blood of relatives will stop flowing as soon as the relatives stop attacking the security forces. "used in holi"? Don't be a drama queen. Not realizing the real choices the Kashmiris have is the real autism.

For Kashmiris it'll end when Indian occupation will end. What's hard to understand ? Your Indian friends here already know this because they openly call for demographic replacement.

You have said many things but that doesn't make them true. Kashmir has as much tourist potential as Goa and tourism has made Goa very rich. The Kashmiris have shot themselves in the foot by driving out the tourists.

And you're still indulging in speculations. We don't know what will happen if Kashmiris integrate into the federation, you keep mentioning Goa but it's a sort of exception, and it's funny to see you keep saying that Pak must industrialize but apparently it's OK for Kashmir to rely mainly on tourism.

Firstly you should stop disrespecting Banyas. A guy like Mohinder Amarnath, son of Lala Amarnath, has more courage in his little toenail than you have in your entire body. As for "reading history", maybe you do not know that it was the Bengalis and the Punjabis rather than the Kashmiris who led the armed struggle against the British, so drop the East India Company reference.

Amarnath was a Brahmin, but yes Kashmiris who fight Indian occupation do have more courage in their nail than you'd have in all your karmic reincarnations. Also, how much did the Bengalis/Punjabis export as compared to the British ? They were silly to not take advantage of the world's major economic powerhouse of the day, you banya ?

 

[Napa]

For Kashmiris it'll end when Indian occupation will end. What's hard to understand ?

As the Indian government does not accept that Kashmir is not part of India, the Indian "occupation" will only end when the Pakistani Army is able to defeat the Indian Army in a war or when the Kashmiri rebels are able to defeat the Indian security forces. Given the record of the Pakistani Army in the last wars it has fought, I would say a rational person would say "it will never happen".

Given that it will never happen, there is a way to peace and prosperity for Kashmiris.

And you're still indulging in speculations. We don't know what will happen if Kashmiris integrate into the federation, you keep mentioning Goa but it's a sort of exception, and it's funny to see you keep saying that Pak must industrialize but apparently it's OK for Kashmir to rely mainly on tourism.

Doesn't matter how wealth is created, as long as it is created. Kashmir has a small population, and tourism is the answer for Kashmir. For larger populations, only tourism cannot be the answer.

Also, how much did the Bengalis/Punjabis export as compared to the British ? They were silly to not take advantage of the world's major economic powerhouse of the day, you banya ?

Bengalis/Punjabis export as compared to the British? I have no idea what you are talking about. You have gone off the deep end, no more answers from me to you. I hope you find a path to peace and prosperity, bye.

 

[Slog]

Sends a great image worldwide. Lol such a joke

 

[m.shah]

It could be a lack of enthusiasm, or a fear that they will be targeted if they stand for elections or if they vote.

No it is by choice that we don't vote for the country which is doing mass genocide here.

 

[m.shah]

And stupid Modi had the guts to post a winning tweet lol

 

[Pakistanian]

Good on them.

 

[Napa]

No it is by choice that we don't vote for the country which is doing mass genocide here.

As the population of Kashmir is growing at a healthy rate, this idea of "mass genocide" is nonsense. The only ethnic cleansing that has occurred in Kashmir has been on Kashmiri Pandits, some of whom are still living in refugee camps in Delhi.

 

[Pakistanian]

As the population of Kashmir is growing at a healthy rate, this idea of "mass genocide" is nonsense. The only ethnic cleansing that has occurred in Kashmir has been on Kashmiri Pandits, some of whom are still living in refugee camps in Delhi.

why y'all always yapping on about these pandits? they never made more than 5% of the population in the last century during the dogra occupation.

 

[Napa]

why y'all always yapping on about these pandits? they never made more than 5% of the population in the last century during the dogra occupation.

So it is okay to ethnic cleanse Pandits because they are less than 5% of the population, and I am "yapping" because I mention them. Do you realize that most posters in this forum live in the western countries where they are less than a 5% minority?

 

[Pakistanian]

So it is okay to ethnic cleanse Pandits because they are less than 5% of the population, and I am "yapping" because I mention them. Do you realize that most posters in this forum live in the western countries where they are less than a 5% minority?

You're "yapping" cause y'all keep mentioning this in every single thread about kashmir, trying to point the other way sidetracking any discussion on purpose. It is never okay persecute anybody even if they're .00001% of the population. My comment is aimed at the Indians that make it sound like there was some "big demographic change" by the exodus of Pandits and that India would win a referendum there if they returned . Even if every single Hindu Kashmiri and their non-Kashmiri spouses/family member moved to Kashmir, they still wouldn't change the results of a referendum in India's favor. That's what my point is.

 

[Napa]

You're "yapping" cause y'all keep mentioning this in every single thread about kashmir, trying to point the other way sidetracking any discussion on purpose. It is never okay persecute anybody even if they're .00001% of the population. My comment is aimed at the Indians that make it sound like there was some "big demographic change" by the exodus of Pandits and that India would win a referendum there if they returned . Even if every single Hindu Kashmiri and their non-Kashmiri spouses/family member moved to Kashmir, they still wouldn't change the results of a referendum in India's favor. That's what my point is.

Try to be honest, otherwise you come across as ridiculous. Your post was directed to me and not any other mythical Indian poster. Your post was quoting my comment and I never said anything about "big demographic change". I said that the Pandits had been ethnic cleansed in Kashmir and your post dismissed it by saying I was "yapping" and that the Pandits were never more than 5% of the population. When challenged, you backtracked and said "It is never okay persecute anybody even if they're .00001% of the population." etc.