So far, 14 Kashmiri Pandits have filed nominations to contest from the valley for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, aiming to ensure the return and rehabilitation of their fellow community members, whose number run up to 3 lakh. Srinagar's Habba Kadal assembly constituency has virtually turned into an electoral battlefield for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. A record six KPs out of the 14 have filed their nomination from the assembly segment, which goes to polls, along with 26 other constituencies in the second phase of elections, on September 25. "As many as six candidates from the KP community have filed their nomination papers in Habba Kadal. Of them, five have filed under recognised political parties, while two have filed as Independents. A total of 14 candidates have filed their nominations," an election department official told PTI. Ashok Kumar Bhat has filed his papers as the BJP candidate, Sanjay Saraf as the Lok Jan Shakti Party candidate, and Santosh Labr
J&K Assembly elections 2024: Rahul Gandhi said if the Congress party is elected, the INDIA bloc will ensure the restoration of statehood to J-K
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly polls: Union Home Minister's visit is crucial for the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, given the increasing challenges the party faces before the assembly elections
More than 300 candidates have filed nominations for 26 assembly constituencies which are going to polls in the second phase of the three-phase Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, officials said on Thursday. Thursday was the last day of filing nomination papers for the second phase voting for which will be held on September 25. As many as 310 candidates have filed their nomination papers across 26 assembly constituencies of six districts of Jammu and Kashmir in the second phase, an official spokesperson said. The highest of 20 candidates have filed nominations from Habbakadal, while the lowest six are from Kangan. A total of 310 candidates have filed 329 nomination papers for the second phase, the spokesperson said. As many as 112 candidates have filed their nominations in Srinagar district, followed by 68 in Budgam district, 47 in Rajouri district, 35 in Poonch district, while 24 candidates each have filed nominations in Reasi and Ganderbal districts, he said. In Jammu division
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the BJP's poll campaign and release the party's manifesto during his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir beginning Friday. Shah's visit comes at a critical time for the BJP in J&K as the party faces growing challenges ahead of the assembly elections with several leaders and workers protesting and some of them leaving the saffron party after being denied tickets. "Amit Shah ji is arriving in Jammu for a two-day visit starting tomorrow. He will be arriving in the late afternoon from Delhi," a senior leader told PTI. On the first day of his visit, Shah will release the party manifesto at 4 pm here, the leader added. Later in the evening, he will chair a meeting with party leaders and meet delegations of party workers. Shah will officially launch the BJP's campaign from Jammu, where he is scheduled to address a rally in the city on Saturday, he said. His visit to Jammu is seen as crucial, given the resentment within the BJP over its ticket ...
J&K Assembly elections 2024: The Army and the Border Security Force (BSF) have intensified their surveillance along the 744-km LoC and the 198-km international border
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Gandhi alleged that the government in New Delhi is run by Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and their corporate friends
On September 4, Rahul Gandhi kickstarted the party's election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, where the elections are scheduled to begin on September 18. Watch the video to know the details.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will address two public rallies in Ramban and Anantnag districts on Wednesday, kickstarting the Congress' campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls being held after a gap of 10 years. These rallies are part of the campaign for the party's candidates contesting in the first phase of the elections on September 18. Besides Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among the 40 star campaigners of the party in the upcoming three-phased Assembly polls. Polling to elect 90 members of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held on September 18, 25, and October 1. "Rahul ji will kickstart the party's campaign from tomorrow. He will address two public rallies in Ramban and Anantnag districts in support of Congress candidates on Wednesday," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hamid Karra told PTI. The Congress and the National Conference have entered into
The Congress on Monday released its second list of six candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, fielding JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng. The list was released soon after Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) met here to finalise names of candidates for the elections, which the party is contesting in alliance with the National Conference. Apart from J-K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Karra, the party has fielded Mumtaz Khan from Reasi, Bhupender Jamwal from Mata Vaishno Devi, Iftikhar Ahmed from Rajouri (ST), Shabbir Ahmed Khan from Thannamandi (ST) and Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary from Surankote (ST). These constituencies will go to polls in the second phase of the three-phase assembly elections. The total number of candidates declared by the party is now 15. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary in-charge (organisation) K C Venugopal, Karra, Jammu and Kashmir screening committ
The BJP's decision to contest only half the seats in the Valley during the first phase of voting has intensified frustrations, with loyalists feeling sidelined in favour of defectors and new entrants
Centre may increase cover from the current Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh under its flagship insurance schemes ahead of the high-stakes assembly elections in three states
With the nominations for the first phase of J&K polls finalised, there will be 219 candidates in the fray for the 24 seats going to vote on Sept 18. Among the 219, 91 are contesting as independents
Slamming National Conference for advocating dialogue with Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Sunday asked it to clarify whether initiating dialogue with the neighbouring country will end terrorism and bloodshed in the Union Territory. He also played down the protests and resignations by his party leaders and workers over the selection of candidates, saying he is confident the BJP will form the government on its own. The assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to take place on September 18, 25, and October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8. "Unfortunately, the NC leaders do not talk about the welfare of the people, the Pakistani gun which brought death and destruction to our land. By advocating for dialogue with Pakistan, they are not doing the right thing," Raina said. He said starting a dialogue with Pakistan is the prerogative only of the central government and the foreign minister. "NC leaders should know that our former PM A B Vajpayee
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday alleged the Election Commission has changed the date of counting of votes for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls at the behest of the BJP. "They (ECI) do what suits the BJP. When I contested the (Lok Sabha) elections, they unnecessarily changed the date (of polling). Everything is done as per the wishes of the BJP and its proxy parties," she told reporters here. Mufti was talking to mediapersons after several second rung politicians joined the PDP at the party office here. The Election Commission on Saturday announced a change in the day of counting of votes in Jammu and Kashmir from October 4 to October 8. The move came after the poll body changed the polling date in Haryana from October 1 to October 5 in view of a festival in that state. On the transfer of senior police officers during the elections, the PDP chief said she is happy that all the officers are locals and hoped they will help in conducting free, fair and impartial poll ...
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh on Sunday took over as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, the Defence Ministry said. After taking charge at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan), the Air Marshal paid homage to the bravehearts, who made the supreme sacrifice, by laying wreath at the National War Memorial here. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Singh was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on June 13, 1987. He is a Category 'A' Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,500 hours of flying and an alumnus of the Defence Service Staff College and National Defence College, the ministry said in a statement. He has commanded a fighter squadron, a radar station, a premier fighter base and was the Air Officer Commanding, Jammu and Kashmir. "His varied staff appointments include Operational Staff at a Command HQ, Air Commodore (Personnel Officers-1) at Air HQ, Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Financial (Planning)
During the meeting, ADGP Anand Jain emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and security throughout the electoral process
Union minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has isolated Pakistan globally and the "rogue nation no longer has support from the international community due to its role in sponsoring terrorism". While Pakistan struggles, India's vision for Jammu and Kashmir is moving forward with peace and progress, he said, asserting that militancy is on its last legs in the union territory. He also criticised Congress, saying it was supporting National Conference's "regressive agenda" aimed at pushing Jammu and Kashmir back into the dark era of "militancy and bloodshed". Addressing a gathering to garner support for Arvind Gupta, BJP candidate from Jammu West for the state assembly polls, Reddy reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir remains the "heartbeat of India". He said the party's vision for its people reflects the legacy of Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who established the party with the aim to protect Jammu and Kashmir from "dynasti
Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir polls, members of the transgender community held a rally here on Saturday, demanding reservation for them in the legislative assembly. The rally, which started from Vikram Chowk and culminated at Hari Singh Park in the heart of the city, saw participants carrying placards and raising slogans in support of their demand. "We have 90 seats in the assembly but not one is reserved for us. We want at least one seat each to be reserved in the two divisions of Jammu and Kashmir for us so that our issues can be resolved," Raveena Mahant, who was leading the rally, told reporters. She said the rally was organised to voice the transgender community's demand for reservation and representation in the electoral process which has long been denied by the political parties in the region. "Without such reservation, the community remains under-represented and is unable to influence decisions which directly impact the lives of transgender persons," she added. Mahant sai