Srinagar, Jammu mayors get MoS status

The order, issued by additional secretary Subash Chhibber on Tuesday, said the hospitality and protocol department shall make necessary insertion in the J&K State Warrant of Precedence with the approval of the competent authority.

The mayors of Srinagar and Jammu civic bodies on Wednesday were granted the status equivalent to that of minister of state (MoS), according to an official order.

A man rides a motorcycle passing a closed college during restrictions, after the scrapping of the special constitutional status for Kashmir by the Indian government, in Srinagar. The elections for the municipal corporations were held in four phases in October last year after a gap of 13 years. (REUTERS)

The order, issued by additional secretary Subash Chhibber on Tuesday, said the hospitality and protocol department shall make necessary insertion in the J&K State Warrant of Precedence with the approval of the competent authority.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the grant of status equivalent to Minister of State (MoS) to the Mayors of SMC (Srinagar Municipal Corporation) and JMC (Jammu Municipal Corporation) within their territorial jurisdiction,” the order said.

The elections for the municipal corporations were held in four phases in October last year after a gap of 13 years.

People’s Conference leader Junaid Maattu and BJP leader Chander Mohan Gupta are the mayors of SMC and JMC, respectively.