Srinagar: Veteran National Conference leader and former finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather elected the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Cooperatives and election moved the motion in the Legislative Assembly and the Member of the house Arjun Singh seconded on the election of speaker in the house.
The first Assembly session of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir began on Tuesday in Srinagar under tight security arrangements.
The seven time legislator Abdul Rahim Rather was born in 1944 in Bandipora village of Chadoora, representing the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Party from Charar-i-Sharief Assembly constituency in Budgam district.
He has served as a speaker and held several important ministries including finance in the previous National Conference governments.
He completed his post-graduation in political science in 1968 at University of Kashmir and later did L.L.B. in 1971 at Aligarh Muslim University.
Rather first won the 1977 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election from Charar-i-Sharief Assembly constituency as a candidate of NC. He was later elected for another five terms consecutively winning the 1983, 1987, 1996, 2002 and 2008. In 2014 Rather lost to Ghulam Nabi Lone of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party ending his over 30 years hold on the constituency.
Rather won the recently held Legislative Assembly elections from the Charar-i-Sharief for the 7th time.
