Maiden poll at Kashmir Press Club
The first-ever election of Kashmir Press Club (KPC) was held on July 15 to elect an 11-member body for two years. The media fraternity was caught in campaigning with journalist groups forming alliances to contest the polls.
A total of 252 members were eligible to vote for electing the maiden body of KPC, which came into being last year after the government provided space at Srinagar’s Residency Road. Senior journalist Shuja-ul-Haq was elected as KPC president, while Moazum Mohammad, Ishfaq Tantray and Farooq Javed Khan were made vice-president, general secretary, and treasurer. Seven other scribes were elected as executive members. Two journalist associations stayed away from the election process.
Court to fast-track trial
In Srinagar, the Principal District and Sessions court announced that it would sit for hearing twice a week for ensuring expeditious trial in an acid attack case. The court will now hear the case on every Wednesday and Thursday. The victim is a law student who was critically injured in the acid attack near Nowshera when she was on her way to the college on December 11, 2015.
Later, the police arrested two accused involved in the attack. The prosecution has sought punishment of the accused on three counts under Sections 326-A (voluntary throwing acid to cause grievous injury), 120-B-9 (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the RPC. If found guilty, the duo can face rigorous imprisonment of 10 years each, which may be extended to life term.
HC seeks report on traffic
Concerned over frequent road accidents, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the IG, Traffic, to submit a detailed report regarding traffic rules. The division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar passed the directions after hearing a PIL on decongestion of traffic.
The court directed authorities to place a detailed report on the measures taken to ensure the safety of passengers and schoolchildren. It asked authorities to adopt safety measures for saving lives. The judges suggested that strict rules be followed to check parking on roads and to remove encroachments for streamlining traffic.
Workers on stir
Angandwari workers and helpers took out a march at Lal Chowk to protest the government order directing them to work under elected panchs and sarpanchs. These workers are demanding revocation of the government order. As per the order, disbursement of the monthly honorarium of anganwadi works and helpers would be done through gram panchayats, which will monitor and supervise the work at anganwadi centres. The agitating workers contended that they work independently under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and that they have their own supervisors, who monitor their work.