Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was today re-elected as the chairman of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference for the fourth consecutive three-year term.
Geelani was elected to the post unanimously during a Majlis-e-Shoura (advisory council) meeting here, a Hurriyat spokesman said.
He said the shoura members favoured Geelani's re-election through voice vote to fulfil this "constitutional obligation".
All but two constituents were present in the meeting. Muslim Khawateen Market and Social Face Forum Jammu gave their consent through telephone, the spokesman said.
The 85-year-old leader was first elected as chairman of the hardline faction in 2004, a year after engineering a vertical split in the undivided Hurriyat over the alleged participation of Peoples Conference - one of the constituents - in 2002 Assembly elections.
He was re-elected to the post unopposed in 2007 and 2010.
Last month, Geelani was re-elected chairman of his Tehreek-e-Hurriyat party for a term of three years.
Geelani formed the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat soon after the split in the Hurriyat Conference in 2003 as the constitution of the amalgam allows a person to head it from constituent parties only.
Geelani has been chairman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat since its inception.
