Chaos at Srinagar local polls in Jammu and Kashmir

Elections for the post of mayor of Srinagar are being held today after the seat remained vacant for more than five months.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir):Chaotic scenes were witnessed during the elections for the Srinagar Municipal Corporation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The former mayor of SMC Junaid Azam Mattu in his tweet said that a group led by Sheikh Imran created scenes inside the SMC Corporator Hall and did not allow voting to start for an hour after realizing its clear defeat in the open referendum! Glasses were thrown at our corporators who were sitting peacefully. Democracy is being attacked, he added.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday rejected a petition seeking a stay of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation's (SMC) mayor election.

Elections for the post of mayor of Srinagar are being held today after the seat remained vacant for more than five months.

A statement issued by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation said that the elections would be held from 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

A bench of Justice Puneet Gupta rejected the pleas of Nazhat Ara and Ali Muhammad Tantra of the National Conference.

In their petition, the two had challenged the notification of the SMC secretary regarding the election of the mayor and termed it a violation of the Municipal Corporation Act and the rules framed under it.

The petitioners contesting for the post of councillor in the SMC by-election have also said that the code of conduct has been violated in this notification as by-elections are being held for the local bodies.

However, the SMC said the applicants had no reason to challenge the notification as at this stage they are not elected representatives of the SMC.