Jammu Tawi,Aug 28: Of total 1,575 lawyers, 1,413 casted their vote on Saturday to elect the new body of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (Jammu chapter).The elections for 15 posts was held peacefully in which 1,413 lawyers participated. Voting was held from 10AM and 5PM.
According to returning officer Surinder Singh, counting will take place on Sunday and the results will be declared by 5PM.
The elections were delayed by two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 15 candidates are in fray for various posts.
Four advocates are contesting for the post of president, four for vice-president, three for secretary, two for cashier, and two for joint secretary.
Ashok Sharma, MK Bhardwaj, Ranjeet Singh Jamwal and Nirmal Kotwal are in the fray for the post of president.
15 candidates are in the fray for various posts although not even a single female lawyer has filed nomination for any of the posts.
Majority of the enlisted voters/lawyers cast their votes in favour of 15 candidates in the fray for various posts – four lawyers are contesting for the post of president, four for vice president’s post, three for secretaries, two for cashiers, and two for joint secretaries.
For the first time, no women lawyers filed nominations for any of the posts in the Jammu Bar Association.
“Three contesting candidates – Sharma, Bhardwaj and Jamwal are affiliated with two national political parties. Sharma and Bhardwaj are from one national political party while Jamwal is from another national political party,” said a member of the Jammu Bar Association.
However, in their election campaign, these contesting candidates have claimed that their affiliation with political parties would not affect the working of the bar.
The election manifestos of the contesting candidates have promised housing colonies for the lawyers and insurance policy for them besides other welfare promises.
