The processions stand banned in Kashmir since 1990 when armed insurgency began.
The envoys travelling on Thursday will meet civil society members and receive a briefing on the security situation from various agencies
Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad are both set to enter the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir. Congress president Sonia Gandhi cleared their names and both the Congress leaders would be filing their nomination papers on Tuesday.
When Omar Abdullah took his first plunge into Kashmir politics in 1998, the odds were stacked heavily against him. Separatists were at their peak and the National Conference, founded by his grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah, almost 50 years ago, was seen as a stooge of New Delhi.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah is all set to become the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir with his father Farooq Abdullah and the party clearing his name to head a coalition with the Congress after a night of confusion. 38-year-old Omar, whose father and party patron Farooq was projected as the chief ministerial candidate during campaigning, will travel to New Delhi for talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The National Conference, which is emerging as the single largest party in a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, has made a clean sweep of the eight constituencies in Srinagar. Considered to be stronghold of the separatists, the city recorded 20 per cent polling in the final phase of elections held on December 24.
Virtually endorsing Omar Abdullah for the chief ministership, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that his son could better serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir and he himself would prefer to remain a member of Parliament."Why not? Omar is a young man. If he could serve better, why not," Abdullah said when asked if Omar could be the choice of the National Conference for the chief minister's post
The 68-year-old Bindroo, who ran Bindroo Medicate, was shot at by the assailants point blank at his pharmacy, a police official said, adding he was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Elections will also be held in 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha.
She also hit out at the government for posting retired bureaucrats, who she alleged were its 'yes men', as head of institutions.
The minister also appealed to the people of Kashmir to hoist the national flag in their homes on August 15.
Union Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that army should reopen the alleged Patribal fake encounter case so that "the justice is served".
The police on Tuesday said businessman Mohammad Altaf Bhat was killed in the "cross-firing" between militants and security forces at Hyderpora on Monday, but he would be counted as a "harbourer of terrorists" as he did not inform authorities about the tenants in his building.
People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) leaders, including three former chief ministers, were put under house arrest on Saturday before a protest against the proposals of Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission, prompting angry reactions from political parties which said such steps will only 'incentivise and facilitate' violent agitations.
Clearing all confusion, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Monday said he would recommend to his party that his son Omar Abdullah should be the new chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. His remarks assume significance in the wake of his statement on Sunday night that he would like to be the chief minister, which created confusion.
"Here I would like to say very frankly, we owe a lot to the militant organisations who did not use the gun because in case they had used the gun, we would have been in trouble. I think Pakistan did put pressure on them that they should not do anything to affect the elections," he told media persons in New Delhi.
He attended the meeting as a special invitee for being a former president of the BCCI but not as CCI representative.
The government is open to discussions on all issues, the prime minister told journalists in Parliament complex ahead of the beginning of the session.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Monday said assembly elections should be held only after restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government to honour its commitment made on the floor of Parliament.
The veteran politician, who has been chief minister of the erstwhile state three times as well as union minister, also said the time has come for the opposition parties to come together and fight the forces who are bent on destroying the secular fabric of the country.
The report published in the gazettes of India appeared in local newspapers on Monday and showed that Habba Kadal seat in Kashmir division and Suchetgarh seat in Jammu province had been restored.
No one from Pravin's family was present at the wedding.
The two leaders also discussed the special category status promised to the southern state.
Friday prayers have not been allowed at Jamia Masjid - the grand mosque of Kashmir in downtown (old city area) - for the past over two months now.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is opposed to the execution of Mohammed Afzal, has said the death punishment for the Parliament terror attack convict is "too extreme".
Victims claim that a year later, many have not received even the first installment of relief.
The chief patron of opposition National Conference told reporters here that as per media reports, Afzal appeared to be\ninnocent and he had not been given a chance to defend himself.
"Several innocent people have been killed and I strongly feel violence should come to an end," Abdullah said.
'Alienation has to be addressed,' says Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
Sayeed, Abdullah and Bhat appeared together at the centenary celebrations of S P College where they studied 50 years ago.
The Kolkata club also roped in former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah as a member of its executive committee.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said a consensus had been worked out by which Ranbir Singh Mahendra would continue for another year following which Sharad Pawar would take over the BCCI in 2006.
"For a solution to the Kashmir issue, we can look at Switzerland where people of different ethnicities live in an autonomous and proper democratic set-up. Kashmiris may like to have such a system," he said.
Sachin and Sara Pilot will be on Simi Garewal's show.
The polling was slated for March 5, March 7, March 9, March 12, March 14, March 16, March 18 and March 20.
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