J&K Sainik School Manasbal Alumni Elect First-Ever President After 45 Years; Mohammed Yousuf Wani Wins Poll

Srinagar, Sept 7: Alumni of J&K Sainik School, Manasbal, have elected their first-ever President, 45 years after the school admitted its inaugural batch.

Mohammed Yousuf Wani, a member of the school’s first batch, was declared elected on September 3 after securing 344 of the 765 valid votes cast in the alumni election.

The election witnessed a 74 per cent turnout, with 1,034 alumni registered on the electoral roll across 39 batches and locations spanning India and abroad.

The election was conducted by an independent four-member Election Commission headed by Hamid Hajni, with Dr G. R. Beigh, Dr Bashir Ahmad, IRS, and CA Ovais Shah as members.

The Commission said the electoral roll was published in full and kept open for objections before polling. Five nominations were scrutinised, while two online public debates were also held ahead of the election.

According to the Association, the electronic ballot was designed with multiple safeguards to ensure transparency. Voters were issued confidential one-time Voter IDs, while ballot records were secured and periodically cryptographically verified during the two-day polling process.

Of the 986 ballots received, 765 were declared valid. The Commission rejected 221 ballots—142 repeat submissions against already-used Voter IDs and 79 carrying IDs that were not on the electoral roll. The Association said the rejected ballots and reasons for rejection were also made public.

Wani secured 344 votes, followed by Dr Nawab Nasir Aman with 226 votes, Mohammed Ijaz Ul Haq Kanth with 112, Junaid Ahmad Wani with 42 and Farooq Zaidi with 41 votes.

Following his election, Wani took oath online on September 5 in the presence of the Principal of J&K Sainik School, Manasbal, and alumni joining from different parts of India and abroad.

In his address after taking oath, Wani said he would work for every alumnus irrespective of batch or region and identified the adoption of a constitution by the members as one of the Association’s first priorities.

The new President has also committed to setting up an independent Constitution Drafting Committee, with applications open to alumni, and to holding a formal gathering at the school on September 14, marking the anniversary of the admission of the first batch.

The Association also plans to register itself as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, with the stated objective of ensuring greater transparency in its elections, accounts and governance.

The JKSSM Alumni Association represents around 2,800 alumni, including serving and retired armed forces personnel, civil servants, doctors, engineers, academics and entrepreneurs across India and abroad.

Its stated objectives include supporting alumni facing hardship, mentoring and providing scholarships to students, and extending support to J&K Sainik School, Manasbal.

The school, established on the banks of Manasbal Lake in Ganderbal district, admitted its first batch on September 14, 1981, and has since trained students for the National Defence Academy as well as careers in public service and various professions.

The Association clarified that it is a voluntary alumni body and is not affiliated with the school administration or any government body.