Srinagar: The elections for the post of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Deputy Mayor were conducted on Monday with four candidates including two independent councilors in fray.
According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the post of Deputy Mayor was vacant after no confidence motion was submitted against the previous Dy mayor Sheikh Imran, who failed to prove majority during the floor test.
However, four candidates from different political parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and two independent councilors were in fray in the elections, who had submitted their papers recently.
Secretary Council, Muhammad Akbar Sofi informed KNO that 68 councillors cast their ballots today in favour of four candidates, adding that Parvez Qadri, has emerged as victorious with the support of 33 councillors.
He stated that four votes were rejected, adding that BJP’s Arif Majeed Pamppori who was also in the fray has got the support of 24 councillors. “Syed Hussain, an independent candidate failed to secure any vote during the elections while Congress party’s Nakul Matoo got the support of seven councilors,” he added.
He further stated that out of 64, Qadri got the support of majority of councilors, following which he has been elected as new Deputy Mayor of SMC. Sofi further informed that the elections were conducted smoothly.
Pertinently, Mayor SMC, Junaid Azim Mattoo against whom a no confidence motion was submitted and was later withdrawn, managed to prove the support of majority of councilors.
Mattoo soon after proving majority addressed a presser here at a local hotel and had stated that the support of over 50 councillors, who were accompanying him then will be supporting Congress candidate for the post during the Dy Mayor elections.
It has, however, come to the fore Junaid along with many of his supporters today supported Qadri, who as per the sources is affiliated with NC. (KNO)
