LAHDC Kargil’s newly-elected councillors administered oath

Kargil, Oct 17: The newly-elected councilors of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, were administered oath of office on Tuesday.

The recently-elected councillors of the LAHDC, Kargil, were sworn in at the Syed Mehdi Auditorium Hall in Kargil at a function organised by the election authority.

Principal, District and Sessions Judge Kargil, Iqbal Ahmed Masoodi who is the prescribed authority administered the oath to 26 elected Councillors of the respective constituencies including Abdul Samad, Abdul Wahid, Muhammad Jawad, Kacho Muhammad Feroz, Abdul Hadi, Aga Ain-ul-H, StanzinGigmet, PunchockTashi, StanzinLakpa, AltafHussain, Muhammad Abass, KhadimHussain, Muhammad Amin, ManzoorHussain, Feroz Ahmed Khan, NasirHussainMunshi, Syed MujatabaMossavi, Syed Ali, Muhammad Sajjad Khan, GhulamHaider, Ashiq Ali, Muhammad JaffarAkhone, ZakirHussain, Liyaqat Ali Khan, and Padma Dorje.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) and CEO, LAHDC, Election Authority Kargil, ShrikantSuse, Special Judicial Mobile Magistrate Kargil, ShafiqMushtaq Lone, Additional Deputy Commissioner, GhulamMohi-ud-Din Wani, SSP KargilStanzinNoorbu, Deputy Election Officer Khanzada Osman besides former cabinet ministers, former MLAs, representatives of various religious organisations, members of various political parties along with district officers were present during the oath-taking ceremony.

Meanwhile, the authorities have appointed October 18 as the date for the first meeting of the LAHDC Kargil and the Chief Executive Councillor-cum-Chairman has to be elected.

As per the procedure, initially, the council meeting has to be convened by the DC Kargil, who serves as the CEO of the council in which all newly-elected members have to take oath.

This is followed by the election of the Chairman-cum-CEC which can take place either unanimously or through voting.

Meanwhile, the National Conference (NC) will have the post of Chairman-cum-CEC first for two and half years.

NC Councillor Muhammad JaffarAkhoon, a retired Chief Medical Officer (CMO) would be the unanimous choice for the post of Chairman-cum-CEC from NC.

“The NC Councillors and senior leaders from Kargil had a meeting on Tuesday in which Muhammad JaffarAkhoon was unanimously chosen for CEC’s post,” senior NC leader from Kargil and Additional General Secretary NC Qamar Ali Akhoon told Greater Kashmir.

Muhammad JaffarAkhoon, who is the brother of Qamar Ali Akhoon, the former cabinet minister in erstwhile J&K state, was elected from ThasgamThuina.

“Several names are under consideration in the Congress for the post of Chairman but district president of the party, NasirMunshi is the front-runner,” the party insiders said.

However, the Congress would get the CEC’s post after NC’s CEC completes his tenure of two-and-a-half years.

Munshi was elected from the Choskore constituency.

Addressing a joint news conference of the NC-Congress Coordination Committee, the leaders announced that the council would be formed on a 50-50 sharing basis.

They said NC would have the CEC’s post first followed by Congress.

They said that the council would work for the development of Kargil district.

The NC and Congress had, before the elections, agreed to a post-poll alliance in LAHDC Kargil to keep the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) away from power though the two parties contested elections against each other except for a few seats where they fielded joint candidates.

Both parties have unanimously agreed to equally share the four posts of Executive Councillors, who have the rank of minister.

The elections for the 5th LAHDC-Kargil were held on October 4.

In the elections, in a big win in LAHDC, Kargil, NC emerged as the single-largest party by winning 12 seats while the Congress stood second, winning 10 seats.

The BhartiyaJanata Party (BJP) managed to win only two seats while independents bagged two seats. Four councillors are nominated by the administration.