Jammu, August 28, 2021 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Jammu Bar Association held elections to elect its new body, today, in which 15 candidates are in the fray for various posts although not even a single female lawyer has filed nomination for any of the posts. “The counting of votes will be done tomorrow (Sunday),” said Returning Officer for Jammu Bar Association elections, Surinder Singh.

Singh said that the elections were held after a delay of two years due to Covid-19 pandemic. At least 1575 lawyers cast their votes in favour of 15 candidates in the fray for various posts – four lawyers contested for the post of president, four for vice president’s post, three for secretaries, two for cashiers, and two for joint secretaries.

“This is the first time that women lawyers have not filed nominations for any of the posts in the Jammu Bar Association,” Singh said. He said that the four candidates contested for the post of President are Ashok Sharma, M K Bhardwaj, Ranjeet Singh Jamwal and Nirmal Kotwal.

“Three contesting candidates – Sharma, Bhardwaj and Jamwal are affiliated with two political parties. Sharma and Bhardwaj are from one political party while Jamwal is from another political party,” said a member of the Jammu Bar Association. However, in their election campaign, these contesting candidates had claimed that their affiliation with political parties would not affect the working of the bar. The election manifestos of the contesting candidates had promised housing colonies for the lawyers and insurance policy for them besides other welfare promises.

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