Protests over ‘rigging’, DC sends report; 6 suspended, probe ordered
*Fate of 150 including bigwigs sealed in ballot boxes
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 16: Voting percentage in seventh phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections held for 18 seats spread over 10 districts of the Jammu region today broke all records by recording 71.9 percent voting, the highest for any phase so far in the ongoing electoral exercise while Poonch district became the first district to touch milestone of 80 percent polling.
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However, in another first, the polling was today marked by large scale protests in both the constituencies of Poonch district including Mendhar-A and Mendhar-B over the charges of booth capturing with many candidates joining hands and blocking Jammu-Poonch road at Mendhar demanding re-poll in some booths and action against those responsible for alleged rigging. Protests ended late tonight after District Magistrate Poonch Rahul Yadav and SSP Ramesh Angral ordered action against local civil and police officials and the DM sent report to the State Election Commissioner (SEC) on the allegations leveled by the candidates.
Significantly, six districts of the Jammu region reported above 70 percent voting.
Poonch district scored 80.12 percent voting, the highest in any district so far in all seven phases of the DDC elections while Doda district had lowest polling of 58.82 percent in the Jammu region today. Voting percentage in other districts was 69.8 (Kishtwar), 75.6 (Udhampur), 68.6 (Jammu), 72.8 (Kathua), 67.7 (Ramban), 74.3 (Samba), 73.1 (Rajouri) and 76.7 (Reasi).
Overall voting percentage in Jammu and Kashmir today stood at 57.2
In Jammu region, voting percentage was 64 in Phase-I which went up to 65.5 in second phase, 68.8 in third and 69.3 in fourth before coming down to 66.6 in fifth but again rose to 68.5 in sixth and was the highest in seventh phase today at 71.9.
Fate of 150 candidates was today sealed in ballot boxes for 18 DDC constituencies in Jammu including many bigwigs like Sham Choudhary, former Cabinet Minister from BJP, Tarlok Singh Bajwa, ex Rajya Sabha member of PDP and Congress candidate, Taranjit Singh Tony, Independent and Naresh Kumar Bittu (National Conference), all in Suchetgarh, former BJP MLA Prof Gharu Bhagat and Bushan Dogra, former Vice Chairman in Minister of State rank from RS Pura, Independent Charanjit Singh Jasrotia, former MLA and Ragunandan Singh Jasrotia (BJP) in Kathua, former MLC Tassaduq Hussain of PDP from Rajouri, ex MLA from Mendhar Rafiq Khan’s son Nadeem Khan of PDP in Mendhar-A constituency, an IAS officer’s father, who was an Independent candidate and Advocate Nazir Choudhary of NC in Mendhar-B among others.
Eighteen seats which went to polls today include Drabshalla-A and Drabshalla-B (Kishtwar), Bhalla (Doda), Ramban-A and Ramban-B (Ramban), Katra and Panthal (Reasi), Tikri and Udhampur-II (Udhampur), Kathua and Nagri (Kathua), Sumb (Samba), RS Pura and Suchetgarh (Jammu), Rajouri and Seri (Rajouri) and Mendhar-A and Mendhar-B (Poonch).
Trouble erupted in Mendhar town when seven candidates, contesting the election from Mendhar-B seat in Poonch district, along with their supporters, reached Yaadgaar Chowk in Mendhar town and blocked Mendhar-Jammu and Mendhar-Poonch roads in protest against what they alleged booth capturing by Independent candidate Wazid Bashir Khan and his supporters at two polling stations of Sakhi Maidaan. They burnt tyres and blocked vehicular movement demanding re-poll in two polling stations, suspension of the polling officials posted in the two booths and action against Wazir and his supporters whom they charged with capturing the booths and rigging the elections.
Initially, the local officers of civil and police administration tried to persuade the candidates and their supporters to lift the dharna but the protesters didn’t budge. Later, senior officers also reached the spot.
District Magistrate Poonch Rahul Yadav told the Excelsior that he has taken report from Presiding Officers of the two polling stations and will be sending detailed report based on feedback to the State Election Commissioner (SEC).
“It is the SEC which has to take decision on re-poll,” Yadav said.
SSP Poonch Ramesh Angral said situation is well under control though the people have refused to lift dharna till late tonight.
Seven candidates who along with their supporters joined the protests include Ghulam Nabi, Independent and father of an IAS officer, Advocate Nazir Choudhary (NC), Parveen Sarwar Khan (Congress), Tahir Ali Mirza (Apni Party), Mir Mohammad (BJP), Aquib Khan and Habibullah Khan, both Independents.
Late tonight, the DC Poonch ordered suspension of six officials on the basis of representation of contesting candidates and attached them to his office. He ordered that Additional DDC Poonch will conduct inquiry into the allegations and submit report within a week.
The suspended officials include Afzal Bashir, Medical Assistant, Amjit Bashir, Physical Education Teacher, Shahid Bashir, Forest Protection Force, Mohammad Mushtaq, teacher, Sarfaraz Khan, Gang Coolie PWD and Murtaza Ali Mumtaz, Agriculture Assistant.
The SSP Poonch has also ordered an inquiry against SHO Mendhar Manzoor Ahmed Kohli which will be conducted by Additional SP Poonch Khalid Amin.
In Mendhar-A Territorial Constituency, supporters of National Conference leader Choudhary Haji Ballu clashed with activists of Independent candidate Baji Farooq, who had quit National Conference to contest the election as an Independent candidate after the seat went to PDP as per Gupkar Alliance agreement, at village Gursai. PDP leader Rafiq Khan’s son Nadeem Khan is the Gupkar candidate from Mendhar-A.
Two vehicles were damaged in the clash and two persons sustained minor injuries.
In Harni area of Mendhar-A seat, supporters of Baji Farooq protested against Nadeem Khan alleging booth capturing by his supporters.
However, protests at Gursai and Harni ended after officers from civil and police administration took written complaints from aggrieved supporters of the candidates.
Meanwhile, a number of polling booths in Mendhar-A and Mendhar-B constituencies of Poonch district and Seri in Rajouri district, located close to the Line of Control (LoC) and falling within shelling and firing range of Pakistan army, voted peacefully today with no ceasefire violations by Pakistan army.
Long queues could be seen at all polling stations close to the LoC including Dheri in Mendhar which was located ahead of the border fencing.
Lanjote, Upper Golad, Basooni and Malikpur polling stations in Mendhar were located close to the LoC and within firing and shelling range of Pakistan but voting everywhere passed off peacefully as there was no shelling or firing from across.
In Kalal, Deeng and some other booths which fall close to LoC in Seri seat of Rajouri district, the polling proceeded smoothly during the day.
A total of 2.7 lakh votes were cast in 18 Territorial constituencies of the Jammu region which went to polls today. A total of 784 polling stations had been set up by the State Election Commission for today’s voting in 18 seats of the region.
Addressing a press conference here this evening, State Election Commissioner KK Sharma said polling was by and large peaceful in 31 constituencies across Jammu and Kashmir today. He added that polling was held in 1852 polling stations including 1068 in Kashmir and 784 in Jammu.
Sharma said that counting of votes for Sarpanch and Panch constituencies, where by-polls were held today along with the DDC elections, was going on.
Sources said most of the results of Sarpanch and Panch seats were declared by tonight. However, counting of votes for the DDC elections will be taken up on December 22.
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