Srinagar: The High Court Bar Association, Srinagar, on Thursday re-elected advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom as its president.
The results of the polls for the Bar executive body were declared by its election commission chairman Abdur Rashid Kang in the evening soon after the counting of votes concluded at Sadder-Court Complex at Moominabad in Srinagar.
Advocate Qayoom won over advocate NA Roonga by a margin of 222 votes. Qayoom got 464 out of total 722 votes polled while Roonga bagged 242 votes. 16 votes were declared rejected.
People took to Facebook and Twitter to congratulate Mr Mian Qayoom on being elected for the 19th time.
For the position of vice president, advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Dar won over his rival Muhammad Ashraf Bhat by a margin of 142 votes. Dar secured 422 while Bhat got 280 votes. 20 votes were declared rejected, reported Greater Kashmir, a daily newspaper based in Srinagar.
In the direct contest between advocate GN Shaheen and Muhammad Shabir Bhat for the post of general secretary, the former defeated the latter by a margin of 74 votes. Shaheen bagged 392 votes while Wani secured Bhat secured 318.
For the post of joint secretary, Adil Aasmi defeated his rival candidate Asrar Ahmad and Ishrat-ul-Nisa. Aasmi defeated his close rival Asrar by 12 votes. Aasmi bagged 282 votes, Asrar 270 and Israt-ul-Nisa 151. 17 votes were declared rejected.
Elected for first time in 1986 as HCBA president, advocate Qayoom has been re-elected 19 times (including Thursday’s re-election), except the time he was jailed or did not contest the elections.
Soon after he was declared as victorious, advocate Qayoom addressed a gathering of lawyers and said that the Bar Association would continue its fight against pellets and human right violations.
He also assured the lawyers that the Bar will play an active role in resolving their issues.
