Page 58 - Jammu And Kashmir

AAP announces first list of candidates for J&K Assembly elections

This will be the first time AAP contests the assembly polls in the state, scheduled to be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1

Multiple poles in J&K polls: UT looks forward to representative democracy

With no local government, and with bureaucrats at the helm for the past six years, the people in the UT are looking forward to representative democracy

Cong allies with NC ahead of J-K polls as it is hungry for power: Odisha CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi slammed the Congress for joining hands with the National Conference (NC) ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, alleging that the grand old party is "hungry for power". He sought clarification from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whether his party would "support the National Conference's promise for a separate flag in Jammu and Kashmir". Does the Congress support any unrest in Jammu and Kashmir by increasing terrorist activities once again? Will the Congress have the support to promote separatists by talking to the arch-enemy Pakistan, instead of establishing peace by talking to the people of Jammu and Kashmir?" Majhi asked Gandhi in the video message. He also asked, "Will the Congress party support the cross-border terrorism by opening trade with Pakistan? Will this not affect the local ecosystem?" The BJP leader sought clarification from the Congress on "whether it supports the decision of the National Conference to give government jo

Terrorist who attacked poll picket in J&K's Baramulla killed by CRPF troops

A terrorist was killed during an exchange of fire with CRPF personnel deployed at an Election Commission-directed check post in Baramulla district on Saturday, officials said. The incident took place at around 3 pm near a veterinary hospital in the Watergam area of Sopore in the said district. Officials said a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) party drawn from the 92nd battalion was deployed at a 'naka' (check post) when a terrorist fired shots at them using a pistol. The troops, present at the check post along with a magistrate-rank officer, retaliated leading to the killing of the terrorist, they said. Soon after, Army troops and a police unit too reached the spot and the body of the terrorist was recovered along with a pistol, two grenades and two magazines, the officials said. The Jammu and Kashmir Police also posted about the incident on its X handle. "Exchange of fire at Watergam area of Sopore. Alert security forces retaliated," it said. The check post was erected on th

News updates: Cabinet approves Unified Pension Scheme, says will benefit 2.3 mn central employees

Latest news updates: From Dhawan's retirement to PM Modi's Ukraine visit updates, catch all the news developments from around the world here

1 terrorist eliminated, warlike stores recovered in J&K's Baramulla area

A terrorist was eliminated and warlike stores were recovered in an operation in Baramulla's Sopore area, Army said on Saturday.In a post on X, the Indian Army's Chinar Corps said, "OP WATARGAM, Sopore #Baramulla. One terrorist eliminated and war-like stores recovered. Operation is continuing."More details are awaited.Earlier today, security forces launched a search operation following a brief exchange of fire with terrorists in Baramulla's Sopore area, police said.In a post on 'X' Jammu and Kashmir police said, exchange of fire in Sopore. "Alert security forces retaliated. Area #cordoned off. Searches underway. Further details shall follow."In the last few months, there has been a spike in terror attacks in the Jammu region, including encounters in Doda and Udhampur.Notably, Jammu and Kashmir is going to witness the elections after a gap of 10 years, as the last assembly election was held in 2014.The polling in the UT will be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, as

CEO urges electors in J&K to leverage ECI apps for better voting experience

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole has urged voters to leverage the technological features introduced by the Election Commission for enhanced elector awareness and polling experience in the upcoming assembly elections in the union territory. The three-phased elections in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for September 18, 25 and October 1 and the results will be declared on October 4. "The ECI has launched several mobile apps, including cVIGIL, Know Your Candidate, Suvidha, Voter Helpline App, among others to ensure that the voting experience for the electors all across the country is easy and smooth. In Jammu and Kashmir, over 88.03 lakhs voters will be able to make the best use of these apps," Pole said in a statement on Friday. Exhorting the voters to use the voter-friendly mobile applications, he said these apps are available on both Android and iOS platforms. To prevent any violations during the assembly election, voters are encouraged to use 'cVIGIL,' a mobile ap

J-K polls: Cong forged alliance with NC for power, says U'khand CM Dhami

The Congress forged an alliance with the National Conference for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir due to its "lust for power", Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday. Dhami also posed 10 questions to the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi and asked them to explain why the party allied with the National Conference and the Abdullah family. He alleged that the Abdullahs "pushed back" Jammu and Kashmir for three decades and "ruined" it. Describing the National Conference as a party that fomented separatism and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Dhami said, "(Rahul) Gandhi owes an explanation to the nation on whether, by entering into an alliance with the National Conference, he supports the party's promise of a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of Article 370." "Gandhi and his party must explain whether they want to push Jammu and Kashmir back into disorder. Does he support separatism and cross-border terrorism and the National Conference's .

BJP vows to safeguard reservations for backward classes in J&K, says leader

The BJP will safeguard reservations granted to backward classes after the abrogation of Article 370, senior leader Devender Singh Rana said on Saturday as he claimed that the Congress-National Conference alliance would deprive these people of their rights. He also said any attempt to rename Shankaracharya Hill as "Takht-e-Suleiman" and Hari Parbat as "Koh-e-Maran" would be resisted as "both places are sacred and related to our faith". National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday announced a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is going to the polls for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Polls to the 90-member assembly will be held in three phases -- September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be held on October 4. "The Congress has aligned with the National Conference, which, in its manifesto, talked about removal/review of reservations to Scheduled Castes (SCs),

24 polling stations set for Kashmiri migrants in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi

The Election Commission (EC) has set up 24 special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur and New Delhi to facilitate voting by Kashmiri migrants in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, a senior official said. People who were displaced from the Kashmir Valley and are residing in Jammu and Udhampur will not have to fill Form-M, as was done in the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole said in a statement issued on Friday. "Kashmiri migrant voters residing in various relief camps in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, who have opted to cast their votes in person through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the election, can do so at 24 polling stations -- 19 in Jammu, 1 in Udhampur and 4 in Delhi," he said. "Continuing with the historic decision taken by the ECI during the Lok Sabha elections, the earlier requirement for migrant electors in Jammu and Udhampur to fill out Form-M has been removed," he said. Electors residing in zones

J&K Assembly elections: Omar Abdullah says 'consenus reached on most seats'

The former Chief Minister was addressing the media, discussing the upcoming alliance with the Congress and the details of the seat distribution

Anti-terror operation against militants in J&K continues for second day

In a relentless effort to crack down on terrorists who have taken refuge in the Dudu area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, an anti-terror operation against the "highly trained militiatants" entered its second day on Tuesday.Security forces, along with Jammu and Kashmir Police, engaged in a search operation to trace and eliminate the militants.Notably, on Monday, militants opened fire on a joint patrol party in the Cheel area of Dudu, in which one CRPF Inspector, Kuldeep Kumar, attained martyrdom."During area domination patrol at Chill, Dudu, an exchange of fire took place between terrorists and joint parties of the JKP and CRPF. In the encounter, one Inspector of CRPF suffered bullet injuries & has attained martyrdom. Operation continues," said Uddhampur police.A wreath-laying ceremony was held for the Inspector of CRPF who lost his life in the Udhampur encounter that broke out on Monday.Earlier, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, Deputy Inspector General of Police Udhampur-Reasi Range, ...

J&K polls: Cong, NC join hands; Rahul Gandhi vows to fight for statehood

There is still no clarity whether the Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP) will be part of the Congress-NC alliance

'Have blood ties with J-K': Rahul Gandhi sounds poll bugle in the Valley

In his first visit to Jammu-Kashmir after the announcement of assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi said that restoration of statehood is a priority for both him and his party

Restoring statehood to J-K is Congress, INDIA bloc's priority: Rahul Gandhi

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said it is the priority of the Congress party and the INDIA Bloc to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The former Congress president also said it is his party's aim that people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh get their democratic rights back. "It is our priority and also of the INDIA bloc to restore statehood in J-K as soon as possible. We had expected this could be done prior to elections, but it is okay, elections have been declared. It is a step forward and we are hoping that statehood will be restored as soon as possible and the democratic rights of the people of J-K will be restored," Gandhi said at a press conference after an interaction with party workers here. He said it is the first time since Independence that a state has been downgraded to a Union Territory (UT). "This has never happened before. UTs have become states, but it is the first time that a state has become a UT. We are very clear in our nation

Congress willing to forge pre-poll alliance for J-K polls, says Kharge

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed willingness to forge an alliance with other opposition parties for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls and termed BJP's promises to the people of the Union Territory "jumlas". Kharge along with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke with Congress leaders and workers here to get feedback about the grassroots-level preparations for the assembly polls. "This was the first meeting after the polls were announced... We are here to seek the views of local leaders and workers for polls and alliances. Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, we have taken the initiative to restore statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. We promise to work towards that," Kharge told reporters here. He said Gandhi was interested in forging a pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. "Rahul Gandhi is interested in contesting the polls unitedly with other parties. The INDIA Bloc stopped a dictator from coming to power with an absolute ..

Kharge, Rahul discuss preparations for J-K polls with workers in Srinagar

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday began interactions with party workers here to get feedback about the grassroots-level preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi and Kharge, who arrived here on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir a day earlier, reached Hotel Radisson Collection in the Rajbagh area of the city to hold consultations with party workers, a Congress leader said. He said Congress workers, including district presidents, DDC members and other leaders from all 10 districts of the Valley reached the hotel in the morning for the interaction. Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases -- September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be held on October 4. On Wednesday, Gandhi and Kharge received a rousing welcome from Congress workers and supporters upon their arrival at the airport here. After wrapping up their interactions here, the

Rahul Gandhi, Kharge on two-day visit to J&K starting from Srinagar

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will be on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir beginning Wednesday for key meetings ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Earlier the two leaders were scheduled to visit Jammu first and then travel to Srinagar. But now they will start their visit from Srinagar, AICC General Secretary Gulam Ahmed Mir told PTI. Mir, who is camping in Srinagar, said the two will engage in extensive meetings with party leaders and workers in 10 districts of the Kashmir valley on Thursday. After their interaction in Srinagar, they will fly to Jammu in the afternoon to continue their interactions with the cadres of 10 districts of the region. They will thereafter leave for Delhi, he said. "They will take a full feedback about grassroot level preparations for the elections", he said. The visit comes after Congress president Kharge and Gandhi met general secretaries, in-charges and screening committee member

INDIA bloc uncertain on J-K polls: AAP may go solo; Cong open for tie-up

Assembly elections in Jammu-Kashmir are scheduled from September 18 to October 1 in three phases. The counting of votes will be done on October 4.

J&K polls: Apni Party releases manifesto, promises to work for statehood

The Apni Party on Wednesday released its manifesto for the assembly elections, promising to press the Centre for constitutional guarantees to preserve culture and special identity of Jammu and Kashmir, and to work for the restoration of statehood of the Union territory. The manifesto was released at a press conference here by the party's general secretary Rafi Mir along with other senior leaders. "The Apni Party will press for constitutional guarantees to preserve the culture and special identity of Jammu and Kashmir, similar to the provisions of Article 371 in some north-eastern states. This includes land and job protection, addressing the people's sense of loss," the manifesto read. The party said it will work tirelessly to restore statehood as promised by the Union Home Minister on August 5, 2019. It also promised the restoration of repealed and amended laws. "The Apni Party will revisit and restore all the laws that were withdrawn or amended over time. Our party will secure ..