BJP nominees withdraw from 10 Wards, Cong one
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Oct 5: With last date for withdrawal of nominations for fourth and final phase ending today, a total of 244 candidates have been declared elected as unopposed in the Municipal elections while number of contestants stood at 2990.
Final official data of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for all four phases of Municipal elections available with the Excelsior showed that 2990 candidates were in fray now, who will try their luck in the elections to be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16.
Out of 244 candidates elected unopposed, maximum 78 were in first phase, 65 in second, 49 in third and 52 in fourth phase.
Highest numbers of 1283 candidates were in fray for Phase-I, 1094 in Phase-II, 411 in Phase-III and 202 in Phase-IV.
There are a total of 1145 Wards in 79 Municipal bodies of Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 3372 candidates had filed nominations for four-phase elections and after scrutiny and withdrawals, 2990 were left in the fray.
In the first phase of polling on October 8, 422 Wards are involved and 1283 candidates are in the fray while 78 candidates have been elected unopposed. In Phase-II polling on October 10, 384 Wards are involved with 1094 contestants and 65 unopposed candidates.
A total of 207 Wards are involved in Phase-III for which 411 candidates are in fray while 49 candidates have been declared elected as unopposed. Phase-III polling is scheduled for October 13. The Phase-IV polling would be held on October 16 for which 132 Wards are involved with 202 candidates and 52 having been elected as unopposed.
Meanwhile, a day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Incharge for Dooru-Verinag Municipal Committee resigned from the party, he along with eight others withdrew nomination papers from 10 Wards of the Municipality today.
With the withdrawal of nominations by 9 BJP candidates from 10 Wards and one by the Congress today, the Congress candidates have won elections from 14 wards, BJP from 2 Wards and one Ward remained vacant as no one filed nomination from that Ward.
Those who withdrew nominations today from Dooru-Verinag Municipal Committee are BJP candidates Haja Begam from Ward 1, Shakir Hussain Shapoo from ward 2, Haja Bano from Ward No 3, Haneefa Begam Ward No 4, Ghulam Hassan Bhat from ward 5, Mohammad Younis Gania from Ward no 6, Nargis Jan from Ward No 7, Ghulam Hassan Bhat from Ward No 8, Saja wife of Gul Mohamamd Khan from Ward No 10, Wali Mohammad Itoo Ward No 11 and a Congress candidate from Ward No 13.
From Ward numbers 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 only one candidate from each Ward had filed nominations so there was no contest in these Wards. No one had filed nomination from Ward 9, which remained vacant.
In the meantime, 5 Congress and one BJP candidates from six wards of Anantnag Municipal Committee announced their disassociation from the poll process today. These candidates are contesting Polls from Anantnag Municipal Committee and announced their decision in a local Masjid in Lal Chowk area of Anantnag town during Friday prayers.
Sources said that the candidates in Dooru and Anantnag withdrew their nominations due to threats by the militants.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
