‘Mechanism in place for smooth conduct of elections’
Precious Kashmir News
Jammu, Nov 11: State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma today said that elaborate measures have been undertaken for the smooth conduct of District Development Council (DDC) and Panchayat By-Elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The SEC was interacting with the representatives of different political parties here today.
Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar and other senior officers were also present.
The SEC while responding to the demands and suggestions of the political parties assured them that these would be looked into and redressed properly.

He said that they should also actively participate in the ensuing elections which would go a long way in further strengthening the democratic setup besides also taking the governance to the district and grass root level across the union territory.
While dwelling on the arrangements being done for ensuring smooth and hassle free conduct of the elections the SEC said that a fool proof mechanism has been put in place besides synergized coordination between different departments involved in the process has also been ensured .
The political parties which attended the meeting included Bhartiya Janta Party, Indian National Congress, National Conference, Peoples Democratic party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

‘Shakir went missing on Aug 3; audio clip claimed he was abducted, killed’

Srinagar, Nov 11: The family members of a soldier, whose body was not found after he was abducted and reportedly killed by suspected militants in south Kashmir in August this year, protested here, demanding a CBI probe into the case.

The Territorial Army soldier, identified as Rifleman Shakir Manzoor of 162 Battalion (TA), went missing on August 3 from Shopian. The abandoned burnt car of the soldier was found in Kulgam district on the next day though he could not be found. Days later, an unverified audio-clip surfaced on social media, which claimed that the soldier was killed and his body would not be returned in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

The family and relatives of the soldier assembled at Press Enclave in Srinagar on Wednesday and demanded that the case be handed over to CBI so that the truth behind the disappearance could be brought out. “We have been running from pillar to post since August this year to find the truth. But, no one is helping us,” the protestors said.

“We just want to know of our son is alive or has been killed. If he has been killed we want his body so that we could perform his last rites,” they said.

The protestors said that they want the case should be handed over to CBI so that the truth is unearthed.

Srinagar, Nov 11: The annual class 10 examination, conducted by J&K State Board of School Examination (JKBOSE), commenced from Wednesday amid COVID-19 safety measures, including maintaining social distance, officials said here.
The examinations are the first offline education-related activity since the pandemic broke out in the valley in March this year.
They said 1.06 lakh students are expected to appear in the examination to be held at 1,145 centres in the valley. “Of the total aspirants, 74,446 are from Kashmir while around 32,000 are from Jammu winter zones,” they said.
They said as many as 814 centres have been established in the valley and 331 in the winter zones of Jammu. “This year, the number of examination centres were almost doubled to maintain social distancing in view of COVID-19 pandemic,” they said.
They said other COVID-19 safety measures are also in place to give a secure environment to the students. “Facemasks have been made mandatory for students and examiners in all the centres in the valley,” they said, adding all the examination centres were also fumigated to minimize the risk of infection.
This year, the J&K government has given a relaxation of 40 per cent in the syllabus of class 10th examination in view of closure of educational institutes since March this year following outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The closure of schools in March this year had comes as a setback for the students who resumed classed after seven months due to lockdown in Kashmir post abrogation of special status of erstwhile state of J&K and winter vacation from December to March.

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Nov 11: In a significant development, the Finance Ministry has cleared a separate industrial policy for Jammu and Kashmir to boost its economy.
The industrial bodies who had a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month had sought a separate industrial policy for Jammu and Kashmir.
In this regard, Union Finance Minister has cleared the Industrial Policy for Jammu and Kashmir.
“It will now go to the Cabinet for final approval. Government also has to seek approval from the State Election Commission as J&K is under Model Code of Conduct in view of district development council elections,” a senior official told KINS.
The official said the Union Finance Ministry has incorporated suggestions from the industrialists of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier in the meeting last month, various industrialists had told the Finance Minister that it was necessary that JK has a separate Industrial policy.
“Most of the policy making happens in the closed room environment with no connection with the actual situation and this is gravely affecting the industry sector in JK,” one of the participants had told the meeting.
“JK industry, especially the MSMEs are reeling under economic distress for the past one year. There is an urgent need for incentives. If MSMEs are helped, unemployment to some extent can be arrested,” another industrialist had said.
Similarly, they had also raised that PSUs in the state are in a bad condition, but they have a huge potential if right attention and help is given.
“Incentives were urgently needed for the revival of the industry in JK . The past year has seen a lot of suffering, unemployment is growing, artisans don’t have much work, industries and MSMEs are in bad shape. A pile up of inventories has been happening,” they told the meeting.
Sources said the building of Industrial Estates, IT Parks, Medi-cities, tourism sector are among few highlights of the Industrial Policy which will be a comprehensive one aimed at attracting large scale investments in Jammu and Kashmir to make it an industrial hub.

Aqib Ahmad
Srinagar, Nov 11: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday gave “last opportunity” of two months to government to file a compliance report, disclosing the policy regarding retention or otherwise of the ministerial bungalows and other accommodation of the estates department by the former ministers, ex- MLAs, retired IAS Officers, MLCs and political persons in J&K.
As soon as the case came up for hearing, Senior Additional Advocate General B. A. Dar sought some more time to update the compliance report regarding eviction of the former ministers, ex-MLAs, retired IAS Officers, MLCs and political persons who are still unauthorizedly residing in ministerial bungalows as well as A, B and C-type accommodation of the Estates Department, both at Jammu as well as Srinagar and recovery of outstanding amount from the authorized and unauthorized occupants.
On being asked as to why time was sought again and again for updating the compliance despite there being repeated directions from the Court, B A Dar submitted that he was making such request only on the instructions of the authorities in the Estates Department.
In view of the approach adopted by the authorities, the court felt need to apprise the Advocate General of the issue involved and requested him to render the assistance in the matter so as to facilitate an early and speedy decision in the case.
Accordingly, the Advocate General appeared before the Court through Virtual Mode and ensures that an updated Compliance Report, in tune with the directions passed by the Court from time to time, will be filed by the next date of hearing.
“Given the submission made by the Advocate General, two months last opportunity is granted to the respondents (authorities) to submit the updated Compliance Report, thereby disclosing the policy of the Government qua retention or otherwise of the Ministerial Bungalows as well as A, B and C-type accommodation of the Estates Department by the Former Ministers/ Former MLAs/Retired IAS Officers/ MLCs/Political Persons, both at Jammu as well as in Srinagar,” the court said as per GNS and posted the matter on February 3. (GNS)

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, Nov 11: The President of India has empowered the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Union Territory to exercise the powers and functions exercised by the State government under “The Protection of Human Rights Act-1993”.

“In pursuance of clause (1) of article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the powers and functions of the State Government under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 shall, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, be exercised and discharged by the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh,” reads a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA).
On March 18, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) shall deal with all human rights concerns in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories.
Before the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir, the erstwhile state had a full-fledged rights body set-up by the National Conference regime in 1997.
The Commission ceased to exist from October 31, 2019 as the law under which it was established was repealed by the Parliament when it passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act on August 5.
The SHRC had made it easier for people to report human rights abuses in conflict-hit J&K. From its establishment till March 2019, the SHRC received 8,529 cases of alleged human rights violations, of which 7,725 had been dealt with.
In this period, the Commission made recommendations in 1,862 cases of killings, torture, custodial disappearance and other violations. (KNO)

New Delhi, Nov 11: Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami was given bail by Supreme Court on Wednesday after day-long arguments between Republic advocate Harish Salve and Mr Kapil Sibal who was appearing for Maharashtra Government.
After hearing both sides the two justices hearing the case since 1100 hrs, went into a huddle for consultations for a few minutes after the arguments were complete at 1600 hrs and came out and directed that Arnab be released on bail. Arnab spent seven days in jail.

New Delhi, Nov 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lashed out at dynastic parties, terming such parties as biggest threat to democracy.
Without naming the Congress, PM Modi said the youth of the country today knows it very well that dynasty politics poses the biggest threat to democracy.
“Unfortunately, a national level political party is gripped by the web of family politics. In such circumstances, the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) increases even more,’’ he said.
Addressing jubilant party workers at the BJP headquarters here as the party celebrated its victory in Bihar Assembly polls, the Prime Minister voiced his resolve to further strengthen the principles of democracy within the BJP so that it emerges as a more powerful and responsive organization.
“The people of India have clearly stated that the only point of debate during elections will be development. Our India of 21st century is more confident and is ready to take on any challenges. It is capable of meeting its goals and marching forward,’’ he told the party workers who constantly cheered him.
In a veiled reference to West Bengal where assembly elections are scheduled for next year, the Prime Minister said that those who are not able to challenge his party in a democractic way have taken recourse to the killing of BJP workers to fulfill their desires. “I want to make them understand that this dance of death will not help them win a mandate,’’ he said.
In his 50-minute long address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the mantra of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’’ had proved that it was the key to achieve success in elections. He said the BJP had endeared itself to the people across the country and cited the party’s impressive victories in bypolls ranging from Manipur to Karnataka and Telangana and from U.P., Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Taking a dig at “silent voter’’ theory of analysts in media, Mr Modi said that women gave their solid support to the BJP in these assembly elections and bypolls. He said the BJP is the only party that has identified itself closely with the poor, downtrodden and exploited sections of the society and has worked for empowerment of the women and meeting the aspirations of the middle class and youth.
The Prime Minister said that people knew that the real issues today are education, development, infrastructure, better roads, modern railways, self-employment and entrepreneurship. He said that the BJP government had made special efforts for women empowerment, sanitation, bank loans, cooking gas and taking drinking water supply to villages which had resulted in ensuring a bigger base for the party.
PM Modi thanked the Election Commission, local administration, security forces and healthy participation of people in elections for making the democratic exercise a success which was conducted peacefully. “In the past, the news headlines from Bihar talked about violence, booth capturing and repoll. Now the headlines are about participation of people and the voter turnout,’’ he said.
He said that Lok Sabha results of 2019 which had returned the BJP to power with resounding margin had been widened further by the results of assembly polls and byelections.
Making an appeal to the youth to join the BJP for taking the country further on the path of progress and development, PM Modi also reiterated the mantra of “Vocal for Local’’ during the festival of Diwali.
He said the trust of the people reposed in the BJP was the biggest dividend for the party which would strive to meet aspirations of all sections of the society.
BJP President J P Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present at the party headquarters.

Srinagar, Nov 11: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition by Pervaiz Ahmad Negroo, challenging his dismissal as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Board of Directors of the Bank last year.
Negroo had challenged a communication (no.FD/Bkg/21/2019) on June 8 last year addressed by the Additional Secretary to the Government, Finance Department of the erstwhile State, to the Company Secretary J&K Bank Limited, conveying the decisions of the Government that he shall cease to be the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Board of Directors of the Bank. By same communication, the government had nominated R. K. Chibber as Director on the Board and his appointment as the interim Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Board and Bank.
Negroo had claimed that the communications, orders, actions of the government are arbitrary, illegal and in utter disregard of the Banking Regulation Act, Articles of Association of the Bank and the Service Manual of the Bank.
Negroo submitted that termination of the tenure post of Chairman and CEO required the mandatory prior approval of the RBI in terms of Section 35B of the BR Act and that its provisions have an overriding effect over the Articles of Association of any Banking Company or any resolution passed by any Banking Company.
“….the nomination of the petitioner (Negroo) as Director on the Board and his appointment as Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Officer of the Bank was contractual in nature and not governed by any Statute or the service conditions ordinarily applicable to the employees of the Bank,” a bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey said after hearing both sides. “In view of the matter, this petition, insofar as it challenges communication no.FD/Bkg/21/2019 dated 08.06.2019 addressed by the Additional Secretary to the Government, Finance Department, of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, to the Company Secretary, J&K Bank Limited, conveying the decisions of the Government taken by it in exercise of the powers under Article 69(iii) of Articles of Association of the Bank, that the petitioner shall cease to be Director on the Board of Directors of the Bank and, consequently, be no longer the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank, is held to be not maintainable. The remedy lies in the civil court,” the court said as per GNS.
One thing has to be borne in mind that neither the position of Director, nor of the Chairman/CEO or the Managing Director are promotional posts in the service of the Bank, the court said.
“So, nomination of the petitioner (Negroo) as Government Director on the Board or his appointment as Chairman/CEO of the Board of the Bank is not an elevation in the sense of promotion as construed in ordinary service parlance,” the court said and dismissed the petition.
“This petition is dismissed in limine alongwith all connected CMs as not maintainable before this Court, leaving the petitioner free to approach the civil court for seeking enforcement of his contractual relationship and/or redressal of his contractual dispute(s) with the Bank,” the court said. (GNS)