Sopore, Oct 10: Ashiq Hussain Kar has been elected president of Beopar Mandal Iqbal Market, Sopore, defeating his rival candidate, Mehraj Ud Din Masoodi, in an election held on Saturday.
The election witnessed strong participation from the trading community, with 254 of the 265 registered voters casting their ballots.
According to Election Board Chairman Anaytullah Bhat, Kar secured 139 votes, while Masoodi polled 113 votes. Two votes were declared invalid, giving Kar a winning margin of 26 votes.
Following the declaration of the results, Bhat congratulated the newly elected president and thanked the traders for their participation and cooperation in ensuring the smooth conduct of the election. He appreciated the voters for exercising their democratic right and contributing to the electoral process of the traders’ body.
Speaking after his victory, Kar said he would work collectively with all traders, irrespective of their electoral preferences, for the welfare and development of Iqbal Market.
He stressed the importance of unity, mutual cooperation and a collective approach to addressing the issues faced by shopkeepers and traders. He also assured the trading community that he would work to ensure their concerns and demands receive due attention.
The election is expected to pave the way for renewed efforts to strengthen traders’ representation and address issues affecting Iqbal Market, one of Sopore’s prominent commercial centres.
