After Art-370 Revocation, J&K to Witness First Polls Today

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with wood may cause Planning this trip to Palestine had been No Children Allowed In an ongoing process since I had begun lung damage whilst studying the conflict ... Mumbai’s Local Trains News Digest After Art-370 Iran’s Top DGP Reviews Security Nuke Scientist Arrangements Assassinated jammu: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Revocation, J&K Dilbag Singh on Friday reviewed in Tehran security arrangements for the District Development Council Iran blames Israel (DDC) polls and stressed on To Witness First increasing vigilance, saying Paki- Tehran: High-ranking Iranian nu- stan and its “sponsored agents” clear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, are continuously attempting to who, Israel alleged, led the Islamic disturb peace in the region. Polls Today Republic’s military nuclear pro- Jammu and Kashmir is all set gramme until its disbanding in the to witness its first elections since Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is special measures taken in view of early 2000s has been “assassinated” being reorganised as a union ter- all set to witness its first elections the COVID-19 pandemic. in an ambush near Tehran. ritory last year with the maiden since being reorganised as a union As many as 1,475 candidates are Fakhrizadeh was shot and in- DDC polls beginning on Saturday. territory last year with the maid- in the fray for the first phase of these jured “by terrorists” in his vehicle in More On P2 en District Development Council polls, they said. Absard, a suburb in eastern Tehran, (DDC) polls beginning on Saturday, The eight-phase elections are and later succumbed to his injuries 9 Absent Employees officials said. seen as a triangular contest among in what amounted to a “martyr’s the People’s Alliance for Gupkar death,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said

Suspended Photo: Abid Bhat KO Declaration (PAGD), the BJP and the on Friday. Local authorities had con- Doda: The District election Au- Holiday On Polls Apni Party floated by former finance Devotees offer congregational Friday prayers outside the shrine of Dastgeer Sahab firmed Fakhrizadeh’s death several thority Doda on Friday suspend- minister Altaf Bukhari. at Khanyar on the annual urs of Sufi saint Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA). hours earlier and also More On P2 ed 9 employees for dereliction of Day In Respective The PAGD -- an amalgam of sev- election duty. eral mainstream political parties, Acting tough against the Areas including NC and PDP, seeking the non-seriousness and deliber- Srinagar: Jammu and Kash- restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s 8 More Corona 2 Soldiers Killed ate absence in election duties, mir government has declared special status which was revoked by Cold Wave Grips District Panchayat Election Of- public holiday in the respec- the Centre last year -- has been ac- ficer, Dr Sagar D Doifode, issued tive gram panchayats/munici- cusing the Bukhari-led party of being Deaths In J&K In Pak Shelling the suspension order, an official pal bodies on day of polls. a B-Team of the BJP. Srinagar: Eight more died Kashmir, Pahalgam spokesperson said. He said that More On P2 There are 280 DDC seats in the of coronavirus in Jammu and Along LoC the suspended employees were union territory - 140 each in Jammu Kashmir on Friday, raising the Jammu: Two Army soldiers were of PWD(R&B), Education, DYSSO, and Kashmir regions, the officials number of fatalities since the Shivers At -6.5 Deg C killed on Friday in cross-border and FCS & CA departments. They said by-elections to 12,153 said, adding 14 constituencies have outbreak of pandemic in the shelling along the Line of Control “As per the order, during the panchayat constituencies are also been earmarked in each of the 20 Union Territory to 1676. Srinagar: Kashmir experi- almost around the normal for (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu suspension they shall remain taking place along with the DDC districts of the union territory. Five more people succumbed enced a dry but cold weather this part of the season at most of region, an army official said. attached in the office of Dy. DEO polls. Out of these, 11,814 are in the Out of 1,475 candidates, 296 are to Covid-19 in Jammu division, on Friday with Pahalgam tourist the places, the minimum settled “The Pakistani army resorted to office Doda. Besides, ADDC has Kashmir valley and the rest 339 in contesting the first phase of the DDC while three others More On P2 resort in Anantnag district being several degrees below the nor- unprovoked ceasefire on the Line of been asked to make a detailed Jammu. polls, they said, adding 172 of them the coldest recorded place in the mal at many places. Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of inquiry into the matter and Campaigning for the first phase are from the Kashmir valley and 124 Union Territory at minus 6.5 de- The weather in the valley was district Rajouri today (Friday),” the report within a week time along came to an end on Thursday and from the Jammu region. Ex-BJP Minister, grees Celsius, the Meteorological dry but cold on Friday, owing to defence spokesperson said, adding with comments,” he added. officials said elaborate arrange- In the first phase of the DDC Department said. the mostly clear sky, the official that Indian Army immediately re- ments have been put in place for elections, 43 constituencies will 6 Soldiers Among A MeT Department official said said. Srinagar, which recorded a sponded to the firing. Soldiers ‘Halt’ Traffic the smooth conduct of the polls and go to polls -- 25 in More On P2 New Cases More On P2 while the day temperature was minimum of 0.5 More On P2 More On P2 Outside BB Garrison Srinagar: Traffic came to a standstill on Friday afternoon Mirwaiz Family outside army headquarters Mehbooba Put Under House Arrest, Badamibagh here in this capital Bereaved AC Nod To 850 MW city for almost half an hour after soldiers emerged on the road Barred From Visiting Para’s Home Mirwaiz Ratle Hydroelectric and laid barricades. A local news agency KNT quot- KO Photo: Abid Bhat Umer’s Uncle ing eyewitnesses reported that the Para Remanded To Project In J&K soldiers closed the road, laid con- Passes Away certina wires, and halted vehicular 15-Day NIA Custody NHPC, JKPDC To the clearances for the project are movement on the stretch from BB Srinagar: With deep grief and already in place; hence the project Cantonment’s Brigadier Rajinder Jammu: PDP leader Waheed sorrow, it is to inform that an oc- Execute Rs 5300 Cr is expected to be completed within Singh Gate upto GB Pant Hospital. Para was remanded to 15 days of togenarian member of Mirwaiz Joint Venture 36 months of the start of work,” The soldiers, the report said, also National Investigation Agency (NIA) Family, Moulvi Ali Muhammad The official spokesperson fur- barred an ambulance from District custody on Friday following his ar- Jan, who was the elder brother of Observer News Service ther said that the project would be Hospital Shopian (JK22A-6028) car- rest earlier this week for allegedly Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Moulvi a major developmental and finan- rying a patient to Srinagar. conspiring with Hizbul Mujahideen Muhammad Farooq and the uncle Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir cial benefit to J&K which would The report further said that militants to get their support during of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi administrative council on Friday benefit from sale of power as well the residents of Batwara and the 2019 parliamentary elections. Muhammad Umar Farooq, passed gave nod to the construction of 850 employment opportunities and Shivpora were surprised over Para was taken to Jammu and away today after a brief illness. MW ratle hydroelectric project in a other developmental benefits aris- the sudden closure of the road produced before a designated Innaa Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilaihir joint venture between the JK Power ing out of the project. for half an hour till the siege was NIA court in a case related to his Raaji’oon. More On P2 Development Corporation (JKPDC) “Today’s decision regarding ex- lifted and traffic allowed again. alleged “close links” with Irfan and the National Hydroelectric ecution of 850 MW Ratle project The report also quoted Sri- Shafi Mir, who was arrested along Power Corporation (NHPC) will ensure that over 3000 MW nagar based Defense Spokesper- with Hizbul Mujahideen mili- The Rs 5300 crore power project additional generating capacity will son Colonel Rajesh Kalia as say- tant Naveed Babu and suspended Junaid Mattu to come up in the Union Territory, be available to supplement the de- ing that “everything is normal” Deputy Superintendent of Police was approved by the administra- mand-supply position in J&K and Srinagar: PDP president and former Davinder Singh earlier this year, Joins Apni Party tive council in its meeting here on boost the overall economy of the 2 Employees Attached Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba’s officials said. Observer News Service Friday, an official spokesperson UT,” he said. Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija After his arrest on Wednesday, said. He said that the new joint The Administrative Council, he Over Poll Campaigning on Friday claimed that they had been Presser Foiled the NIA produced Para in a Delhi SRINAGAR: Junaid Azim Mattu, venture company named-Jammu said, also approved the exemptions Poonch: The government has detained at their residence to prevent Srinagar: Authorities on court on Thursday and sought a who was recently elected as Hydroelectric Power Corporation to the project in order to make it attached two class-IV employees them from visiting the house of ar- Friday disallowed PDP president transit remand for his production Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Limited will be formed between viable. after a complaint alleging their rested party leader Waheed Ur Rehman Mehbooba Mufti’s press confer- before a designated court in Jammu, Corporation (SMC), Friday joined the JKPDC and NHPC. “However, the accord of ex- participation in electioneering in Parra in Pulwama in South Kashmir. ence here, as the former chief the officials said. Apni Party at its office in Srinagar. “The equity contribution of emptions has also been restricted Mendhar area of Poonch district, Reacting to the alleged detention, minister of Jammu and Kashmir According to the officials, during Junaid Mattu was welcomed JKPDC in the company pegged at to the bare minimum necessary officials said on Friday. National Conference (NC) vice presi- was allegedly put under house the investigation into Singh’s as- into the party-fold by Apni Party Rs. 776.44 crore will be provided to obtain viability of the project. The complaint was filed before dent Omar Abdullah said personal arrest and not allowed to visit sociation with Hizbul Mujahideen President Syed Mohammad Altaf as grant from the Government of Accordingly exemption of the UT’s Deputy Commissioner Poonch liberty is treated as a favour by the the Pulwama residence of party militants, the NIA came across Bukhari, Party’s Provincial President India,” the official spokesperson share of free power (12%) from the by National Conference candi- government, giving and withdrawing leader Waheed Parra who was phone records of Mir which Mohammad Ashraf Mir and said, adding “Today’s decisions project was approved in a decre- date from Mendhar-C who had it at will, with no interference from arrested by the NIA earlier this showed that he was in close con- District President Srinagar Noor will pave the way for an early be- mental manner only,” the official also alleged campaigning by an the judiciary. More On P2 week. More On P2 tact with Para. More On P2 Mohammad Sheikh. More On P2 ginning of work on the project. All spokesperson said. More On P2 AEE ranked official in favour of his brother who is contesting as independent candidate. The Deputy Commissioner Poonch has also written to Managing Director JKPDC to enquire and take action in conduct of the Dark Times: Power Cuts Getting Worse In Kashmir This Winter AEE, Shokit Hussain. The two class-IV employees— Auqib Javeed and distribution of electricity in the cuts have become synonym to Darbar Mohammad Ashraf and Israr Ah- valley—for failing to provide adequate move in Kashmir, with people alleging mad—have been asked to report According to official power supply during the early phase that the electricity is being diverted to in DC office till further orders. t’s becoming frustrating for some- data, there are 10 lakh of winter. Jammu to “keep the babus warm”. “A government employee is ex- one like Mushtaq Shah to operate With the onset of winter, the de- Every October, the Jammu and pected to remain neutral during I his power loom these days, as consumers registered mand for power supply grows as most Kashmir administration shuts its of- election and the active participa- the unscheduled power cuts make it with the PDD in the of the households use heat blowers, fices in the summer capital of Srinagar tion of government employee impossible. power blankets, heaters, geysers, and to move to the winter capital of Jammu, in political activities is against But Shah is not alone. Valley. The region other warming devices that run on a process anachronistically referred to model code of conduct and After facing pathological spring and witnesses a 10-12% electricity. as “the darbar move”. Representation of People Act,” summer, Kashmiris are now facing dark However, the unscheduled power With this archaic power shift prac- Deputy Commissioner Poonch winter. increase in power tice, electricity cuts inevitably grow said in the order. These two The people are up in arms against demand annually. My uncle, who was declared COVID-19 positive longer in Kashmir. class-IV employees have been the Power Development Department “Since the existing grid infrastruc- asked to attend and mark their (PDD)—responsible for transmission last month, grapples with breathlessness” ture in the Valley can More On P2 attendance in DC office Poonch till further orders. (GNS)