The last hurdle

23/11/2017

Clearing last hurdle for holding much delayed Panchayat election in Jammu and Kashmir, the State Government has formally written to the State Election Commission to hold Panchayat polls in the State after completing all requisite formalities like publication of electoral rolls, notification of reserved Wards, polling stations, deployment of staff etc. The Rural Development Department, which is the Nodal Department for Panchayat elections, has sent a formal official letter to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra, who had recently been designated as the State Election Commissioner for Panchayat elections through an Ordinance, to complete all formalities for holding the elections to Panchayats, which have been pending for last about one and half years. Majority of the formalities have already been completed or were in the process of completion within a week after which the State Election Commission could take a call on election dates and phases in consultations with the Government as many areas in the State in all three regions would become snowbound and it wouldn't be possible to hold elections in the hilly areas. Government wants the State Election Commission to be ready with all formalities so that the elections can be held shortly in the State.
The Governmenthas also formally conveyed its decision that elections to the Panchayats will be held on non-party basis, which means that every candidate contesting the election for Panch segment will be treated as an Independent and allotted a symbol accordingly. However, some Opposition leaders were of the view that ruling PDP-BJP alliance didn't want to face the electorates in view of their "poor governances' and it was in this context that they have opted to hold Panchayat elections on non-party basis. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Election Department has agreed to supply ballot boxes to J&K Election Commission on loan for holding Panchayat elections. The ballot boxes would start reaching Jammu, the winter capital of the State, in the next few days. Thereafter, they would be dispatched to the district headquarters. The ballot papers would be printed after names of candidates and their symbols are finalized. State Government has not amended the Panchayati Raj Act, it has to use the old technology of using ballot boxes for conducting Panchayat elections. Number of the Panchayats, where elections will be held, have gone up to 4500 as compared to 4166 in 2011. Last elections to Panchayats were held in 2011 and the elected Panchayats had completed their term in June 2016. Presently, there were no elected Panchayats. Out of 334 newly carved out Panchayats, 165 have been increased in Jammu division and 169 in Kashmir division. With this number of Panchayats in Jammu division has increased to 2121 as compared to 1956 in 2011. Number of the Panchayats has gone up to 2379 in Kashmir division as against 2210.

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