Govt cancels leave of employees
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 24: The State Election Commission today issued fourth and final notification for Municipal elections in which some Wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and seven Municipal Committees of Kashmir province will go to polls on October 16.
Previous three notifications have covered all Urban Local Bodies of 10 districts in Jammu region while two districts of Ladakh region were covered in first notification.
Official sources said Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s Ward Nos. from 1 to 5 and 54 to 73 will go to polls in fourth phase on October 16 for which the notification was issued today and process of nomination started.
Besides, seven Municipal Committees will also vote in the fourth phase which included MC Pattan, MC Ganderbal, MC Pampore, MC Khrew, MC Pulwama, MC Shopian and MC Dooru Verinag.
Candidates can file nomination papers for fourth phase of elections till October 1. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 3 while candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till October 5. Voting will be held from 7 am to 2 pm on October 16 while counting will take place on October 20. Entire election process will be completed before October 27.
With today’s notification, process for all four phases of Municipal elections scheduled to be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16 has been initiated across the State. There are a total of 79 Urban Local Bodies in the State including two Municipal Corporations in Jammu and Srinagar, seven Municipal Councils in Poonch, Kathua and Udhampur in Jammu region and Sopore, Baramulla and Anantnag in Kashmir and 71 Municipal Committees.
Meanwhile, the General Administration Department (GAD) today issued an order ordering cancellation of leave of all kind (except medical grounds or for study purposes) for all Government employees with a view to hold smooth elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies.
“Leave of any kind sanction to Government employees (except on medical grounds or for study purposes) will stand cancelled forthwith. The concerned employees will report to their respective places of posting immediately,” the official order said, adding that no leave of any kind will be granted to the Government employees except medical emergency till conclusion of elections.
It said all employees will remain available at their respective headquarters/places of posting till conclusion of the elections.
Meanwhile, 43 candidates filed their nomination papers today on the third day of the filing of nominations for Urban Body polls to five Municipal Committees and one Municipal Council of Kathua district.
For Municipal Council, Kathua 13 candidates including 9 males and 4 females filed their nominations.
For Billawar Municipal Committee, 4 male candidates filed their nominations and for Basohli Municipal Committee, 7 male and 6 female candidates joined the electoral exercise.
Similarly 13 candidates filed their nominations from Basohli, while a female candidate filed her papers for Lakhanpur Municipal Committee and 3 male candidates filed their nominations for Hiranagar Municipal Committee.
For Parole Municipal Committee, 9 male candidates filed their nominations. Previously, 3 candidates filed nominations for Parole taking the total number to 12.
Till today a total of 46 candidates have filed their nominations for Kathua ULB Polls of which 11 candidates belonged to national parties, two to State parties and 33 as Independents.
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