Leh, Oct 26: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) secured majority winning 15 seats in the 26 member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) while Congress got five and two went to independents.
Aam Admi Party (AAP) contested for the first time draw blank. However, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stayed away from the elections.
The voting for all the 26 seats of the LAHDC was held on October 22 at 294 polling booths. Four councilors are being nominated by the government.
An official spokesman said the counting of votes was held today.
He said BJP and Congress contested from all the constituencies while AAP 19 and 23 independents were also trying their luck in the elections.
Several central ministers from BJP campaigned for the party candidates. However, no senior central or state leader, including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president did not campaigned in the elections.

New Delhi, Oct 26: Initiating major reforms in Child Care leave policy for the Central Government employees, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has allowed the male employees who are single parents, to take leave for the Child care.
The DoPT Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that this facility will be given to those male employees who are widowers or divorcees or even unmarried and may therefore, be expected to take up the responsibility of child care as a single – handed parent.
Dr Singh also informed that an employee on Child Care Leave may now leave the head quarter with the prior approval of Competent Authority. In addition, the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) may be availed by the employee even if he is on Child Care Leave and also said that Child Care Leave can be granted at 100 percent of leave salary for the first 365 days and 80 percent of leave salary for the next 365 days.
The Minister also informed that in case of a disabled child, the condition of availing Child Care Leave up to the age of 22 years of the child has been removed and now Child Care Leave can be availed by a government servant for a disabled child of any age.
Describing it as a path-breaking and progressive reform to bring ease of living for government servants, Dr Singh said, the orders regarding this had been issued quite some time back but somehow did not receive enough circulation in the public.

Srinagar, Oct 26: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday took out a “ Tiranga Car Rally” in Srinagar under heavy security arrangements on the 73rd anniversary of signing of instrument of accession to join Jammu and Kashmir in Indian union in 1947 by Majaraja Hari Singh.
Earlier, three BJP local leaders from Kupwara were taken into preventive custody after they unsuccessfully tried to hoist National flag at historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar this morning when all shops and business were closed.
Large number of BJP leaders and workers, including Vice President Sofi Yousuf and spokesperson Altaf Thakur assembled at Tagore Hall, where large number of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) and police personnel were deployed since morning as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident.
Vehicles with National Flag later left for S K International Convention Complex (SKICC) on the bank of famed Dal Lake through high security Gupkar road. Traffic was stopped on the road to allow BJP car rally.
The rally passed through Gupkar Road, where the residence of three former chief ministers—Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are located. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba has recently said that she will not hoist the national flag until the flag of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was not restored. This has evoked sharp reaction from BJP and other saffron parties who demanded arrest of Mehbooba, who was chosen as vice chairperson of “Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration” (PAGD) while Dr Abdullah is chairman.
Altaf Thakur told reporters before the start of the rally that it was a befitting reply to all those anti national leaders and parties who show disrespect to national flag.
I want to tell Mehbooba and Dr Abdullah that there is no place for anti-national activities as Kashmir has now changed, he said adding everybody is now holding the national flag. People in Kashmir are hoisting flags at their homes, he claimed.
The state flag, which has now been adopted as symbol flag by PAGD, was removed from all government buildings, including civil secretariat, seat of the government, and vehicles after centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A on August 5, 2019 when all mainstream leaders, including three former CMs were arrested.

Srinagar, Oct 26: Alleging that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) was using National flag to whip up sentiments of people for votes, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the saffron party leaders themselves show disrespect to it (flag).

Media advisor to Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, Syed Suhail Bukhari taking to micro blogging site Twitter on Monday said “Bhartiya Polarization Party @BJP4India would lecture people on the respect to Tricolor, invent imaginary cases of disrespect to the flag to whip sentiments for votes & themselves do this. Shame!”.

Bukhari was reacting a video viral on social media showing a person, reportedly district president BJP Pulwama desecrating the National Flag.

He also re-tweeted the video with the tweet which reads “JammuKashmir District president BJP Pulwama exposed @BJP4India  leaders Nationalism As usual no one CONDEMNED from @BJP4JnK Exemplary punishment expected from PM @narendramodi ji”.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Oct 26: Days after Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks over the Indian flag and Article 370, three leaders including former MLC Ved Mahajan, senior leader TS Bajwa and Hussain A Waffa expressed disagrements with party president over several issues.
According to (KNS), a letter shot by the trio to party Chief Mehbooba Mufti stated they are “feeling quite uncomfortable over some of her actions and undesirable utterances especially which hurt patriotic sentiments”.
On October 23, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti during her maiden presser since August 5, 2019 denounced centre’s decision of scrapping Article 370 and termed it “dacoit” and “loot” by New Delhi with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She warned New Delhi by saying, till our own flag and rights snatched on August 5 are not returned, tri-color will not be carried in J&K.
Meanwhile senior party leader TS Bajwa refuted the “resignation” news reports, saying he along with other two party leaders being a family members of the party put forth some issues to the notice of party president Mehbooba Mufti.
“We have some disagreements on several issues that we took up in the letter and sent it to Mehbooba Ji. We want to set things right in PDP family”, Singh said.
He however refuted the news reports of resigning from the party. “We have not so far resigned. If any decision regarding quit will be decided, it will be communicated to the media through press conference”, he added.

Srinagar, Oct 26: Weather turned pleasant on Monday after a cold night due to snowfall on upper heights, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, in the Kashmir valley, where summer capital, Srinagar, recorded 0.6 degree minimum temperatures, coldest so far.
However, a Met department spokesman said the weather will remain dry in the valley during the next one week.
After witnessing light snowfall on upper reaches, the minimum temperature recorded drop in the Kashmir valley due to icy cold winds and cloudy sky in the plains.
Gulmarg, the famed skiing resort in north Kashmir witnessed snowfall on Sunday afternoon resulting in cold. However, the upper reaches, including Seven Springs, Khilanmarg and Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected by Gandola Cable Car (GCC) received few inches of snowfall.
Tree tops and fields had turned white there much to the delight of tourists, mostly locals. However, a hotel owner told UNI that sun came out from behind the clouds today melting snow at Gulmarg, where the minimum temperature today was minus 1.5 degree, a notch below normal while the maximum temperature on Sunday was 10 degree which was 3.2 degree below normal.
Weather also turned pleasant in Srinagar, where people could be seen basking in the sunshine in the parks and other open places after wearing warm clothes on Sunday due to chilly winds. Tourist places, particularly Mughal garden on the bank of Dal Lake witnessed tourist rush today.
Met department spokesman said the minimum temperature in Srinagar was 0.6 degree, which was more than 3 degree below normal. It was coldest night so far, he told UNI. The maximum temperature on Sunday was 18.4 degree, 2.8 degree below normal, he added. However, he said, the weather will remain dry during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where darbar move offices, seat of the government, will close on October 30 to reopen in winter capital November 9.
The minimum temperature at famed health resort of Pahalgam, also witnessed drop due to snowfall on upper heights, including Holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery, Panjterni, Sheshnag and Mahaguns. Met spokesman said Pahalgam recorded minus 1.8 degree minimum temperature which was lowest in the valley.
However , he said Kargil and Drass, the second coldest place after Siberia, witnessed coldest nights.
In border town of Kargil the minimum temperature was minus 5.8 degree due to snowfall on upper heights.

Election Authority notifies 280 segments in J&K UT

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, Oct 26: In a significant development, the authorities in Jammu & Kashmir have completed the process of delimitation of territorial constituencies of district development councils (DDCs).

The Election Authority, notified by the Jammu & Kashmir government under the Panchayati Raj Act-1989, on Monday evening notified 280 territorial constituencies of DDCs after considering the objections and suggestions submitted by different quarters.

“…… After incorporating all the changes in respect of the objections/recommendations which have been accepted, the Election Authority hereby notifies the delimitation of District Development Councils in terms of Rule 108-B,” reads the notification issued by Chief Electoral Officer, Hirdesh Kumar, who has been designated as the election authority under the law, a copy of which is with KNO.

The draft delimitation proposal was put in public domain by deputy commissioners of all 20 districts for suggestions/ objections till October 23.

Subsequently, a committee headed by deputy commissioner and comprising deputy district election officer, assistant commissioner development, assistant commissioner revenue and district panchayat officer in each district was constituted by the election authority for examining the objections.

“Whereas, a number of objections/ recommendations were found to be devoid of merit and thus not accepted. However, some objections/ recommendations have been found reasoned and in consonance with provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989 and Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rules 1996 and it has been found necessary to modify to the proposed delimitation of the district development councils to incorporate the same,” the notification further reads.

As already reported the Union Home Ministry earlier this month amended Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act for establishing elected district development councils (DDCs).

Each district will have 14 territorial constituencies, taking the number of these segments to 280 in J&K Union Territory.

Srinagar, Oct 26: Observing that possessing of higher qualification does not confer any right upon an employee to seek exception from the capacity building programme(s), the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has dismissed a petition by the erstwhile RReTs, regarding ‘Integrated Multidisciplinary Professional Advancement Course for Teachers’ (‘IMPACT’).

The erstwhile RReTs had alleged discrimination in subjecting them to undergo the IMPACT training course, contending that are trained and qualified Grade-II and Grade-III Teachers having years of experience at their end

They submitted that by directing them to undergo the IMPACT training course, the government has bifurcated the Teacher community into two groups as trained and untrained without any criteria, thereby resulting in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

They submitted that the very object for which the IMPACT training course has been developed is to impart training to untrained Grade-II and Grade-III elementary level Teachers so as to improve their teaching abilities and to bring them at par with the trained Grade-II and Grade-III elementary level Teachers.

“The respondents (officials) have included the petitioners in the group of untrained Grade-II and Grade-III Teachers.”

On the other hand, the government said that the training course has been designed by the NCERT to address the gaps in the teaching skills of Grade-II and Grade-III elementary level Teachers .

After hearing both the sides, a bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey observed that the sole purpose of the IMPACT Training Course is to enhance the professional skills of GradeII and Grade-III elementary level Teachers.

“Ordinarily, no Teacher is even expected to seek exemption from this capacity building programme/ course designed to improve the teaching method with a view to have better learning outcomes of our students, let alone challenge his/ her appearance in the Training Course before a Court of law,” the court said as per Global News Service.

The court said that the skill development and professional improvement is a lifelong process, irrespective of the fact whether an individual or employee is qualified or not.

“Besides, possessing of higher qualification does not confer any right upon an employee to seek exception from the capacity building programme(s), moreso, when the course is designed to address the vital aspects concerning the teaching/ learning process.”

The court said that the competent authorities are well within their rights to take all steps for ensuring enhancement of the professional skills of its employees, including the GradeII and Grade-III Teachers for the benefit of public at large in general, and the student community in particular “with the passage of time and advent of new, modern methods, techniques of administration, technology, teaching etc.”

The court said it was unable to find any fault in the action of the authorities in directing these Grade-II and Grade-III Teachers to undergo the IMPACT training course designed only to provide quality education to the student community by improving the pedagogical skills of these Teachers. (GNS)