5 Yrs After Inception, Shopian Fruit Mandi Gets its First Elected Body

Sheikh Hilal

SHOPIAN

In a first election since its inception five years ago, Mir Mohammad Amin was Saturday elected as president of Shopian Fruit Mandi.

Amin defeated his rival Farooq Ahmad Khan by 91 votes in the election held in Fruit Mandi’s Arhama office.

“The whole electoral process was conducted in a free and fair manner,” said a member. “Presiding officers, polling officers and an election commissioner were appointed for electing the president, vice president, general secretary and treasurer for the 343 member fruit merchants association.”

Spread over 32 kanals of land, Shopian Mandi established five years ago provides livelihood to nearly 22,000 people. Last year, it had a turnover of around Rs 850 crore.

“Voting began at 8:30am in the morning lasting till 2:00pm,” said a member. “330 votes were polled out of total 343. The final result was declared at 4:30pm.” While Mir Mohammad Amin was elected as president, Muhammad Yousuf Malik was elected as vice president, Rayees Ahmad Khan a general secretary and Gulzar Ahmad Dar a treasurer.

“The area is congested. There are parking problems,” said Mohammad Aslam, a third generation orchardist. “A lot of outsiders carry unlawful activities here. It should be shifted to some other place. I believe the new elected body will usher a change.”