No polling in Chitragam, Dadsara blocks

The Chitragam block in southern Shopian district Saturday did not witness any polling as all the constants were elected unopposed, even as two newly-elected panchs and one sarpanch put in their papers.

According to an election official, five sarpanchs and 17 panchs were elected uncontested, while no nomination was received for six sarpanchhalqas and 94 panch constituencies.

   

The block is spread over 11 sarpanchhalqas and 111 panch constituencies.

“There was no need to conduct elections as the contestants in fray had no opponents standing against them,” the official said.

He said the two newly-elected panchs Muhammad Shafi Shah, son of Ab Gani Shah of  Wadipoara and Tariq Ahmad Wani, who were elected from Dachoo and Urpora-A halqas respectively, tendered their resignations while a sarpanch Abdul Qayoom Sheikh resigned from Urpora-A halqa.

The elections were not witnessed in Kellar, Shopian, Kanji Ullar and Ramnagri blocks which went to polls during the third, fourth and fifth phases.

During the recently-concluded urban local body elections, no polling was held for the 17 municipal committee wards in Shopian. 

11 Kashmiri Pandit migrants were elected unopposed, while six wards had not received nominations.

NO POLLING IN DADSARA BLOCK 

The Dardsara  block in southern Tral sub-district didn’t witness any election during the sixth phase of panchayat elections Saturday as the contestants for its four sarpanchhalqas and five panch constituencies were elected unopposed.

An official told Greater Kashmir that no nominations were received for remaining 10 sarpanchhalqas and 103 panch constituencies. Four sarpanchs and five panchs were elected unopposed.

As reported earlier, no contest will be witnessed in majority of panchayathalqas and panch wards in 11 blocks of Pulwama district because there is only one contender in fray or the wards remained vacant because there was no contestants at all.

Dardsara is one of the volatile areas of Tral where militancy, right from nineties, has been on rise. The area has witnessed dozens of gunfights between militants and government forces.

Many top militant commanders were active from the area and many young local boys have recently taken up arms.

“There is no question of elections in our area. We always boycott any form of elections,” said a local resident, wishing anonymity.

The residents of Tral and Awantipora stayed away from the recently-held municipal elections as well.

Meanwhile, the entire area witnessed a complete shutdown. All business establishments and educational institutions remained closed while thin movement of traffic was seen on the roads.

Barring Pulwama, Tral and Kakapora blocks where a minor contest is expected to take place, other blocks including Aripal, Dardsara, Awantipora, Pampore, Litter, Newa, Shadimarg and Achgooze would remain uncontested.

According to a source, many migrant and local Sikh candidates have filed their nominations for panchayat polls, particularly in three blocks.

 “If this wasn’t the case, there would not be any contest,” the source said.

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