Srinagar, Feb 08: Sajad Lone led Peoples Conference (PC) Monday won the District Development Council (DDC) chairperson election in frontier district of Kupwara, while independent candidate managed to secure win in central district of Budgam. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won both the DDC chairperson seats in Jammu.

Meanwhile, the poll for Baramulla seat was deferred due to lack of quorum.

In Kupwara, PC’s Irfan Panditpuri was unanimously elected as chairman of the DDC. Of 14 votes, Panditpuri bagged 9 votes. National Conference (NC) remained absent from the voting.

The post of vice-chairperson was bagged by an independent candidate Hajji Farooq with PC support.

Of 14 DDC seats in Kupwara, PC had won five seats, NC won four seats, independents won two seats, and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) won one seat each. The counting on one DDC seat has been stopped as the candidate is from Pakistani origin.

In Budgam, despite having the numbers Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) faced a setback.

Independent candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan was elected the chairperson through a draw of lots.  PAGD chosen NC candidate Nazir Ahmad Jahara was elected the vice-chairperson of DDC Budgam.

An official said that Nazir Ahmad Khan, Independent DDC member and Abdul Ahad Dar from NC got seven votes each for the chairperson election of the DDC Budgam.

Meanwhile, Nazir Ahmad Jahara was elected as vice-chairperson after he secured nine votes against his rival candidate Nisar Ahmad Sheikh who only got five votes.

Of 14 elected DDC members elected here, eight DDC members were from NC, one each from PDP and JKPM, two from PDF and two were independent candidates.

In Baramulla, the DDC chairperson election was adjourned due to lack of quorum.

Against the requirement of eight members, only seven were present in Baramulla.

Among those who were  present included Safina Baig (independent), Muhammad Muzaffar( independent), three members from Peoples Conference and two from JKAP.

Two members each from NC, PDP, Congress and independent Irfan Hafiz Lone abstained from voting.

The seat for Baramulla is reserved for a woman candidate. Earlier, JKAP had announced its support to independent candidate Safina Baig. The new date for the elections will be announced later, an official said.

Meanwhile, BJP won both the DDC chairperson seats in Jammu.

In Udhampur, Lal Chand - BJP DDC member from Udhampur –II constituency was declared elected unopposed for the post of chairperson, while Juhi Manhas – DDC member 5- Khoon Constituency was declared vice chairperson by District Election Officer Udhampur.

Similarly, in Doda, Dhananter Singh and Sangeeta Rani Bhagat of BJP have been elected as chairperson and vice-chairperson.

Dhananter Singh Kotwal, with 9 votes was elected as the chairperson, while Sangeeta Rani Bhagat with 9 votes was elected as the vice chairperson of the District Council.

As per the District Election Officer (District Development Commissioner), Dr Sagar D Doifode all the 14 elected DDC members participated in the election.

Out of 14 seats, BJP has eight in Doda district.

Dr Sagar D Doifode said the entire process of the election to the chairperson and vice chairperson positions of the DDC Doda was smooth adding that the election were held in a free and fair manner.

In the first phase of the polls for the posts of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons for three districts on Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party won from Srinagar and Shopian, while the CPI(M), which is part of the PAGD, won from Kulgam.