Srinagar, Oct 6: The Javid Ahmad Tenga-led group has swept the keenly contested elections of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), with its candidates securing the majority of seats in the 21-member executive committee. The victory consolidates Tenga’s influence in the Valley’s apex trade body at a time when Kashmir’s business community is grappling with a host of economic challenges.
According to the official results, Javid Ahmad Tenga topped the charts with 464 votes, emerging as the highest vote-getter among the 30 candidates in the fray. He was closely followed by Ashiq Hussain Shangloo (457 votes) and Umer Nazir Tibetbaqal (452 votes). The strong showing of the Tenga panel was evident as most of its candidates figured prominently in the top half of the list.
Other leading vote-pullers from the winning camp included Faiz Ahmad Bakshi (445 votes), Fayaz Ahmad Punjabi (443 votes), Altaf Ahmad Tramboo (430 votes), and Ghulam Nabi Bhat (429 votes). Candidates such as Farooq Ahmad Kuttoo (423), Showkat Ahmad Pakhtoon (422), Amir Manzoor Guna (421), and Mohammad Ibrahim Siah (421) also made it to the executive body with comfortable margins.
The last few cut-off seats saw a closer contest. Muzaffar Majid Jan (416), Irfaan Ahmad Gujuu (403), Mohammad Latief Bhat (402), and Afaq Sarwar Malik (398) just crossed the threshold, while Tariq Ahmad Dar (398), Zubair Mahajan (396), and Abid Hussain Pandith (368) managed to secure their place in the committee. The final two winners rounding up the list were Touseef Ahmad Bhat (366) and Akib Chaya (350).
Candidates who failed to make it to the 21-member body included Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh (307), Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon (241), Sheikh Feroz Ahmad Sidiq (182), Abdul Wahid Malik (158), Mohmad Akram Siah (131), Adil Hussain (119), Majid Aslam Wafai (99), Syed Ehsan Javaid (96), and Sheikh Suhail Ahmad (28).
The elections, conducted under tight supervision of District Administration Srinagar, saw a high turnout from the Chamber’s membership, reflecting the keen interest of the Valley’s business fraternity in the outcome.
With the executive committee elected, the next step will be the election of office-bearers, including the President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Secretary General, Joint Secretary, and Treasurer.
Given the overwhelming mandate, Javid Ahmad Tenga is expected to retain the post of President, reaffirming his role as one of the most influential figures in Kashmir’s trade and industry landscape.
Business leaders and observers say the new KCCI leadership will have to address urgent concerns, including the slump in tourism arrivals, challenges in horticulture marketing, revival of traditional handicrafts, and the long-pending issue of policy engagement with both the Union and J&K governments.
The sweeping victory of the Tenga-led panel, analysts say, is not only a reaffirmation of his leadership but also an expression of trust by Kashmir’s business community in his ability to steer the Chamber through testing times. (KINS)
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