| Municipal wards of Mayors, Dy Mayors reserved for Women | | Vocal political leaders shocked | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 16: The voice of majority of the local and vocal leaders who had represented Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and are having affiliation with Congress, National Conference and opposition Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has been made "silent".
They include heavyweights like former Mayors Narinder Singh Raju, Man Mohan Singh Chowdhary alias Pappu Chowdhary (Congress), Kavinder Gupta (BJP) and Deputy Mayors Dharam Vir Singh (NC) and Rani Baloria (Congress).
Reasons: The Municipal Wards, which they were representing, have been reserved for Women (Open Category) based on the Roaster System in the current year-2013.
Even Ward No 27 that was earlier represented by NC Corporator Surinder Singh Shinghari, who also unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections of 2008 and later joined Congress party, has also been reserved for Women Category. Shinghari had played an important role in 2008 agitation of Shri Amarnath land Row. He had resigned from NC and had openly supported the said agitation.
Besides, two popular women leaders of Jammu City namely Deputy Mayor Rani Baloria (Ward No 71) and Namrata Sharma (Ward No 70), having allegiance with Congress party are also among the left out lot as their respective Municipal Wards (reserved in Women Open Category) have also been made as Open Category.
With a mission of "Greater Participation for a Stronger Democracy", the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir issued a notification with details of total number of Municipal Wards (including JMC, Srinagar, JMC, Jammu and all Municipal Committees across the State) reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes (women) and Open Category reservation for Women.
However, the Office of CEO, J&K had also sought objections/suggestions at the office of Joint Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, within 15 days from the issuance of the said Notice.
A total of 21 Wards have been kept reserved for Women (Open Category). However, following notification, the political injuries have been inflicted to number of local leaders belonging to NC, Congress and BJP. They include former Corporators of BJP, District Urban President, Rajesh Gupta (Ward No. 5), Pawan Singh son of senior Congress leader Thakur Hari Singh (Ward No 23), former Chairman, JMC, Jammu and senior Congress leader, Man Mohan Singh (Ward No 29).
The other former Corporators who suffered a bog jolt following the fresh notification included Subash Jandiyal (BJP), Gulshan Kumar (BJP), Sat Grover (BJP), Arun Khanna (earlier BJP and now with JKDF), Dinesh Gupta (BJP), Kamal Singh (Congress) and Ashok Singh (NC). |
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