Sakina Masood Itoo (born 5 December 1970[1]) is an Indian politician affiliated to the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. She is currently the Cabinet minister for Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.[2] She has served as cabinet minister of erstwhile state of the Jammu and Kashmir. She has also served as minister for several departments, including Social Welfare, Ari Trainings and Public Grievances, Education, Tourism, Floriculture, Public Works, and PHE among others. She is one of the youngest members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. She was only 26 years old when she won her first assembly election in 1996. She has won "Best MLA Award" in 2012 for her contribution to her constituency.[3]
Sakina Itoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cabinet Minister, Government of Jammu and Kashmir | |
| Assumed office 16 October 2024 | |
| Lieutenant Governor | Manoj Sinha |
| Chief Minister | Omar Abdullah |
| Ministry and Departments |
|
| Minister for Social Welfare and Administrative Reforms, Inspections, Trainings & Public Grievances | |
| In office 2008–2014 | |
| Governor | Narinder Nath Vohra |
| Chief Minister | Omar Abdullah |
| Preceded by | Peerzada Mohammad Sayed |
| Succeeded by | Sajjad Gani Lone |
| Minister of State for Education, Government of J&K | |
| In office 1996–1999 | |
| Governor | Girish Chandra Saxena |
| Chief Minister | Farooq Abdullah |
| Minister of State for Tourism and Floriculture, Government of J&K (Independent charge) | |
| In office 1999–2002 | |
| Governor | Girish Chandra Saxena |
| Chief Minister | Farooq Abdullah |
| Leader of the Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council | |
| In office 2002–2008 | |
| Chairman | Abdul Rashid Dar Ghulam Nabi Lone |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Muzaffar Parray |
| Succeeded by | Nayeem Akter |
| Member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council | |
| In office 2002–2008 | |
| Governor | Srinivas Kumar Sinha |
| Chief Minister | Mufti Sayeed Ghulam Nabi Azad |
| Member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 1996–2002 | |
| Constituency | Noorabad |
| In office 2008–2014 | |
| Governor | N.N Vohra |
| Chief Minister | Omar Abdullah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 December 1970 Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Political party | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference |
| Parent |
|
| Residence(s) | Damhal Hanji Pora, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Education | Intermediate |
Biography
editItoo was born to Wali Mohammad Itoo, speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on 5 December 1970 in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir.[4] She did her intermediate from the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education in 1991.[5] Later, she started her MBBS practice, professional degree in medicine, but left midway amidst her father's killing in 1994 and subsequently entered politics.[4]
Career
editDuring her political career, Itoo served as a minister in several departments such as deputy minister for Education in 1996, state minister for Social Welfare, and Public Works.[4] Later, she was appointed a minister of Tourism and served the department until 2002.[6] In 2002, she lost an assembly constituency election[7] and was later nominated as a member of Legislative Council by the party in 2004.[6]
During 2014 assembly election campaign, a heavily circulated video clip showed her ordering an old man to vote for her in the name of Allah.[8][9] The video was reported as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct to the Election Commission of India by the opposition party. Omar Abdullah and the National Conference defended Itoo.[10][11] However, she lost again in 2014 against Abdul Majid Padder of PDP, who later joined the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party.[12]
In 2024 assembly elections, Sakeena won from the Damhal Hanjipora assembly constituency and defeated Gulzar Ahmad Dar of PDP by a margin of 17,449 votes.[12] On 16 October 2024, she was sworn in as the minister in the second cabinet of Omar Abdullah.[13] On 18 October 2024, following an order issued by lieutenant governor Sinha to allocate portfolios to council of ministers on the advice of chief minister, Sakeena was given the charge of Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare.[14]
References
edit- ^ "At a glance: 9 Muslim women candidates from Kashmir valley contesting J&K assembly polls". www.indiatvnews.com. 29 November 2014.
- ^ "Sakina Itoo, whose father was killed by terrorists, is sole woman minister in Omar Abdullah's J&K cabinet". Hindustan Times. 16 October 2024.
- ^ Hameed, Danishwar (16 October 2024). "Omar Abdullah's Cabinet: Spotlight on Sakeena Itoo, a woman of influence". The Kashmiriyat. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Personality". Kashmir Life. 25 March 2013.
- ^ "Miss Sakina Itoo (JKNC):Constituency- Noorabad (Kulgam) - Affidavit Information of Candidate". myneta.info.
- ^ a b "Administrative Refirms, Inspections, Trainings & Grievances Department - Government of Jammu & Kashmir". jkaritrainings.nic.in.
- ^ "Jammu and Kashmir minister Sakina Itoo files nomination from Noorabad". DNA India. 13 November 2014.
- ^ "J&K minister Sakina seen in a video forcing an old man to vote for her". News18. 30 March 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "Video shows NC leader asking for support in the name of religion". Hindustan Times. 30 March 2014.
- ^ "Viral Facebook video shows J&K minister Sakina Itoo forcing voter to support her". India Today. 30 March 2014.
- ^ "Shagun, Shamima and Sakina: Three women elected to Jammu and Kashmir Assembly". 9 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ a b Bhat, Gulzar. "Sakina Itoo: From tragedy to triumph, a political legacy unshaken". Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Ashiq, Peerzada. "Omar Abdullah sworn in as J&K CM; Surinder Kumar Choudhary is Deputy CM". The Hindu.
- ^ PTI (18 October 2024). "J&K L-G allocates portfolios; who gets what in newly inducted Omar Abdullah-led cabinet". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 October 2024.