1,382 in fray for BDC elections

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 10

Amid boycott calls and major controversies surroundings much-hyped elections to Block Development Councils (BDCs), the Election Authority today conducted the scrutiny of at least 1,382 nomination papers received for 310 BDCs across the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

“The scrutiny of nomination papers has been completed and the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till October 11. The exact number of candidates contesting the BDC polls will be available by tomorrow evening,” a senior official said.

Out of the total 1,382 candidates, 751 filed papers in Jammu, 515 in Kashmir and 116 in Ladakh. Kashmir valley’s Kupwara district has received the highest number of 131 nominations filed in 22 districts of the state followed by Baramulla (110). Jammu district was third with 105 candidates, while at least 65 candidates joined the electoral race in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Five major political parties — National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, People’s Conference and CPM — have announced to dissociate themselves from the process of elections to chairpersons of 310 BDCs on the ground that their senior leadership was under detention and atmosphere was not conducive for any election process.