DwainKilgore21 at 09:53, 19 April 2026

2026-04-19T09:53:55Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = G. M. Saroori
| caption = G.M. Saroori speaking on "PM’s New 15 Point Programme Welfare of Minorities", at the Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, in Kishtwar, Doda, Jammu & Kashmir on 2 September 2006
| image = G.M. Saroori speaking on “PM’s New 15 Point Programme Welfare of Minorities”, at the Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, in Kishtwar, Doda, Jammu & Kashmir on September 02, 2006.jpg
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|01|01|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Ghulam Muhammad Saroori, INC MLA from Inderwal – Our Neta |url=https://ourneta.com/neta/ghulam-muhammad-saroori/ |website=Ourneta.com |access-date=15 January 2023}}</ref>
| birth_place = Sarthal, [[Kishtwar district]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| office = [[First Omar Abdullah ministry|Cabinet Minister]], [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| children = 5
| term_start = 11 July 2009
| term_end = 26 August 2010
| governor = [[N. N. Vohra]]
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = [[Omar Abdullah]]
| 2blankname = Ministry and Departments
| 2namedata = * Mechanical Engineering
* Roads & Buildings
| predecessor = Omar Abdullah
| successor = Omar Abdullah<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jkgad.nic.in/common/showOrder.aspx?actCode=O9444|title=Allotment of Portfolio|work=General Administration Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir|date=27 August 2010|access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref>
| office1 = [[Minister of State]], [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
| term_start1 = 1 January 2008
| term_end1 = 11 July 2008
| governor1 = [[Srinivas Kumar Sinha|S. K. Sinha]]<br>[[N. N. Vohra]]
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1 = [[Ghulam Nabi Azad]]
| 2blankname1 = Ministry and Departments
| 2namedata1 = * Tourism
* Forest
* School Education
* Social Welfare
* Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution
| office2 = MLA of [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency2 = [[Inderwal Assembly constituency|Inderwal]]
| term_start2 = 2002
| term_end2 = 2018
| predecessor2 = Qazi Jalaluddin<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenewsnow.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=21790|title=Here is an alternative assembly: 81 in number, growing in size, ideas; looking at inclusive role|work=The News Now|author=Zafar Choudhary|date=10 February 2017|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref>
| successor2 = [[Payare Lal Sharma]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]] (until 2022; 2025–present)
| other_party = [[Democratic Progressive Azad Party]] (2022–2025)<br>[[Independent politician|Independent]]
| awards = Best Legislators Award 2014—15<ref name="award">{{cite news | title=Zulfkar, Haq, Saroori conferred with Best Legislators Award | url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/zulfkar-haq-saroori-conferred-with-best-legislators-award-247752 |date = 7 Jun 2016 |work=[[The Tribune (India)|The Tribune]]| access-date=16 Jun 2020 }}</ref>
| website =
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| source =
}}
'''Ghulam Mohammad Saroori''', also known as '''G. M. Saroori''', is an Indian politician and a former legislator of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]], who represented the [[Inderwal Assembly constituency|Inderwal constituency]] of [[Kishtwar district]] from 2002 to 2018 until the [[coalition government]] was ended in the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref name="myneta">{{Cite web|url=https://myneta.info/jk2014/candidate.php?candidate_id=24|title=Ghulam Mohd. Saroori (Indian National Congress(INC)):Constituency- Inderwal (Kishtwar) - Affidavit Information of Candidate|website=myneta.info}}</ref><ref name=zm>{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/jk-nia-summons-senior-congress-leader-ghulam-mohammad-saroori-803321.html|title=J&K: NIA summons senior Congress leader Ghulam Mohammad Saroori|author=Zulfikar Majid|work=Deccan Herald|date=10 February 2020|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/bjp-pdp-alliance-in-jk-an-experiment-that-ended-when-mehbooba-mufti-delayed-rural-poll-pm-modi-2095203.html|title=BJP-PDP Alliance in J&K an 'Experiment', Ended When Mehbooba Mufti Delayed Panchayat Poll: PM Modi|website=News18|date=9 April 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/nia-summons-senior-jammu-and-kashmir-congress-leader-gm-saroori-1644987-2020-02-10|title=NIA summons senior Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader GM Saroori|first=Kamaljit Kaur|last=Sandhu|date=10 February 2020|website=India Today}}</ref>

Saroori was affiliated with the [[Indian National Congress]] until August 2022, during which he also served as its vice-president. He later briefly joined the [[Democratic Azad Party]] following its formation in September 2022,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/azad-elected-chairman-of-democratic-azad-party/1150549/|title=Azad elected chairman of Democratic Azad Party|work=Press Trust of India|date=1 October 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}</ref> but rejoined the Congress on 28 June 2025.<ref name="k326">{{cite web | last=Iqbal | first=Naveed | title=After brief stint with Ghulam Azad's DPAP, two J&K ex-ministers rejoin Congress | website=The Indian Express | date=28 June 2025 | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-brief-stint-with-ghulam-azads-dpap-two-jk-ex-ministers-rejoin-congress-10093162/ | access-date=3 September 2025}}</ref> In 2008, he was appointed a [[Minister of State]] for Tourism, Forest, School Education, Social Welfare and Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, and later served as the Minister for Mechanical Engineering and Roads & Buildings from 2009 to 2010.<ref name="MHA">{{Cite web|url=https://mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/Ministers.pdf|title=List of ministers in Ministry of Home affairs Government of India }}</ref>

==Early life==
Ghulam Mohammad Saroori was born to Saidullah Saroori, who served as the [[sarpanch]] of the Sarthal panchayat for 32 years. He worked for the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department for two months before becoming a businessman alongside his father.<ref name="IndianExpress"/> He and his family migrated to [[Kishtwar]] between 1992 and 1993 due to the [[Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|militancy]] in the region.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/jk-cong-leader-probed-by-nia-says-nothing-to-hide-denies-link-with-hizbul-terrorist-120021200765_1.html|title=JK Cong leader probed by NIA says nothing to hide, denies link with Hizbul terrorist|work=Press Trust of India|publisher=Business Standard|date=12 February 2020|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He fathered three daughters and two sons..

==Political career==
Saroori became associated with [[Nirmala Deshpande]] who was a social worker and [[Gandhism|Gandhian]].<ref name="IndianExpress"/>

He first contested in the assembly elections as an [[independent candidate]] from the [[Inderwal Assembly constituency]] in [[1996 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|1996]], losing by nearly 200 votes.<ref name="IndianExpress">{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/team-ghulam-nabi-azad-upper-castes-dalit-gujjar-jammu-kashmir-congress-8118177/|title=Team Ghulam Nabi Azad: Former ministers to ex-MLAs, upper castes to Dalit and Gujjar faces, J&K Congress leaders who have rallied behind him|first=Arun|last=Sharma|work=The Indian Express|date=29 August 2022|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He was elected as a [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] consecutively in the [[2002 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|2002]], [[2008 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|2008]] and [[2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|2014]] elections as a member of the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name=zm/>

On 1 January 2008, he was appointed the [[Minister of State]] for Tourism, Forest, School Education, Social Welfare and Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution under the state government of [[Ghulam Nabi Azad]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/01jk.htm|title=J&K cabinet expanded|author=Mukhtar Ahmad|work=Rediff.com|date=1 January 2008|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.earlytimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=27044|title=Saroori visits far flung areas of Bhalessa|work=Early Times|date=30 May 2008|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He played a key role in defusing the [[Communalism (South Asia)|communal tension]] after the theft of an idol from the [[Mata Sarthal Devi Mandir]] by getting the culprits arrested.<ref name="IndianExpress"/>

Saroori was appointed the Minister for Roads & Buildings and Mechanical Engineering under the coalition government of [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] and Congress led by [[Omar Abdullah]] on 11 July 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/11/omar-abdullah-expands-jk-cabinet.htm|title=Omar Abdullah expands J&K cabinet|author=Mukhtar Ahmad|work=Rediff.com|date=11 July 2009|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="MHA"/> He was asked by the Congress to resign from his post after a scandal involving the alleged use of an impersonator appearing on his daughter's behalf in an examination, but he ignored it and left for [[Jeddah]] to perform [[umrah]] on 25 August 2010. The state government decided to dismiss him on the following day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2010/aug/26/saroori-sacked-over-impersonation-row-181448.html|title=Saroori sacked over impersonation row|work=The New Indian Express|date=26 August 2010|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He was however cleared of all charges by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] in August 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/former-cong-minister-given-clean-chit-by-cbi-in-jk-112082800613_1.html|title=Former Cong minister given clean chit by CBI in JK|work=Press Trust of India|date=28 August 2012|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref>

A complaint was lodged with the State Accountability Commission against Saroori in October 2012 over alleged allotments of around 2,000 tenders during his tenure as the Minister of Roads & Buildings.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.earlytimes.in/m/newsdet.aspx?q=145119|title=SAC registered case in 2012, action awaited|author=Peerzada Ummer|work=Early Times|date=15 March 2015|access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> He was however cleared of all charges in February 2014 as they stemmed from the period of April—June 2009 when Abdullah held the portfolio.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://kashmirlife.net/saroori-accuses-omar-of-allotting-2000-works-without-tendering-53703/|title=Saroori accuses Omar of allotting 2000 works without tendering|author=Muhammad Raafi|work=Kashmir Life|date=6 February 2014|access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref>

Saroori was appointed a vice-president for the state unit of the Congress in March 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/new-pcc-office-bearers-announced/|title=New PCC office bearers announced|work=Daily Excelsior|date=28 March 2015|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He was conferred the Best Legislator Award for the year 2014–15 by Chief Minister [[Mehbooba Mufti]] in 2016.<ref name="award"/> In February 2020, he was summoned by the [[National Investigation Agency]] over allegations of him being linked to a [[Hizbul Mujahideen]] commander named Jehangir Saroori.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nia-summons-j-k-cong-vice-president-gm-saroori-over-kishtwar-terror-cases/story-CW5kRu9GVVqkHykBmk0ugJ.html|title=NIA summons J-K Cong vice president GM Saroori over Kishtwar terror cases|author=Ravi Krishnan Khajuria|work=The Indian Express|date=10 February 2020|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He was later exonerated by the agency.<ref name="IndianExpress"/>

Saroori quit the Congress along with seven other leaders on 26 August 2022 after the resignation of Azad from the party. He contested the [[2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election]] as an independent candidate to independent candidate [[Payare Lal Sharma]] by a margin of 643 votes <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/8-jammu-and-kashmir-congress-leaders-quit-in-support-of-azad-more-resignations-likely-101661551029750.html|title=8 J&K Congress leaders quit in support of Azad, more resignations likely|work=Hindustan Times|date=27 August 2022|access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> He joined the [[Democratic Azad Party]] launched by Azad on 26 September 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theprint.in/india/azad-elected-chairman-of-democratic-azad-party/1150549/|title=Azad elected chairman of Democratic Azad Party|work=Press Trust of India|date=1 October 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}</ref> He lost his seat in 2024. On 28 June 2025, he returned to the [[Indian National Congress]] at a ceremony in Srinagar attended by senior party leaders. His comeback was viewed as a boost for the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir and a setback for the [[Democratic Progressive Azad Party]].<ref name="k326"/>

==References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saroori, GM}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Kishtwar district]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Kashmiri politicians]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2002–2008]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2008–2014]]
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2014–2018]]
[[Category:21st-century politicians]]

Ghulam Mohammad Saroori - Revision history

DwainKilgore21 at 09:53, 19 April 2026