77 left in fray for five seats in Kupwara district

Srinagar Nov 12: Seventy seven candidates are left in the fray for five constituencies of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir after candidature of four persons were rejected during scrutiny today.
The candidature of Bilal Ahmad Rather from Handwara segment, Mohammad Yasin Lone (Kupwara), Irfan Sultan and Ghulam Mohammad Khan (both Langate) were rejected during scrutiny, official sources said.
The sources said Lone and Khan were covering candidates for Congress while Sultan was covering for the PDP candidate.
As many as 81 candidates filed their papers during the nomination period in the five constituencies going to polls in the third phase on November 30.
The highest number of 21 candidates filed their papers from Kupwara constituency followed by 18 in Langate, 15 each in Karnah and Handwara and 12 in Lolab, the sources said.
Shabnum Gani Lone, daughter of slain Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone whose two brothers, Sajjad and Bilal, are vigorously campaigning for poll boycott, is among the 77 candidates left in the fray.
Shabnum, a supreme court lawyer, filed her papers as an Independent from the Kupwara constituency.
Prominent among others who are in the contest include Saifullah Mir, Sharief-ud-din Shariq, Kaif-ul-Rehman, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan and Qaiser Jamsheed Lone of National Conference. (PTI)