Adequate security measures to ensure free, fair polls: CS

>>>Elected Municipal, Panchayat Bodies to get Rs 4335 cr for development; Guv’s rule not about deciding Art-35A; Number of resignations of SPOs ‘negligible’

26/09/2018

Srinagar, Sep 25: The government Tuesday said it has taken adequate security measures to ensure free and fair polls to urban local bodies and panchayats in the state.
"We have made adequate arrangements for security for these polls. 400 companies of central forces will be deployed for these polls in addition to what we already have in the form of police and other paramilitary forces," state chief secretary B V R Subrahmanyam told reporters here.
He said the government will provide security to all the candidates who request for it and facilitate their campaigning as well.
"We have arranged accomodation for the candidates who want it at various places across the valley. We have arranged 300 hotel rooms in Srinagar for this purpose," the chief secretary said.
Asked about the post election security plan for the candidates, Subrahmanyam said, "We have even plans for those who win as they will be at a higher risk.” He said polling booths have been set up in clusters to ensure that the staff involved in the polls are provided security.
"The government staff involved in the conduct of elections will be provided one month's extra salary. This has never been done in any part of the country," the chief secretary said.
On the threat by militants to those who participate in the elections, Subrahmanyam said, "Militancy exists (but) that is being handled on the law and order front. There are threats... we are confident that we can handle it.”
Asked if holding polls was prudent in view of the boycott by two major political parties in the valley, he said there was no question of thrusting the elections on the people.
"There is lot of enthusiasm on the ground. Two national parties (the BJP and the Congress) are participating. If you go down to Jammu, you will see the street-level campaigning," he added.
Subrahmanyam said more than 700 forms have been taken by prospective candidates for the first phase of urban local bodies, which will be held on October 8. The last date for filing nomination for the first phase is Tuesday.
The chief secretary said the conduct of these elections will make a large amount of funds available to the state that will be used directly by the panchayats and urban local bodies in their respective areas.
"The state may lose Rs 4,335 crore in funds (Rs 3,029 crore for panchayats and Rs 1,306 for ULBs) if these polls are not held. These funds do not come to the state government but directly to these bodies," he added.
Subrahmanyam said the government is making some far reaching changes that will make panchayats very powerful decision making bodies.
"In addition to the grants under the 14th Finance commission, the funds of various schemes like the MNREGA, the PMAY, the NRLM and the mid-day meal scheme will be routed through panchayats. Each panchayat will have Rs 50 lakh to Rs one crore funds available for local development.
"Each panchayat will have an accountant for keeping books while an ombudsman will be appointed for transparency and accountability. The panchayats can levy taxes at local level as has been done in some parts of the country," he added.
Government Tuesday said its stand on the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the constitution before the Supreme Court will remain consistent that an elected government should plead the case before the apex court.
"As far as Article 35-A is concerned, the Governor (Satya Pal Malik) has gone on record multiple times and he has clearly said that this is not an elected government and it would be right if an elected government within the state actually fights the case in the Supreme Court," state chief secretary B V R Subrahmanyam told reporters here.
Subrahmanyam said there was no link between the timing of holding panchayat elections in the state and deferment of hearing of the PIL challenging Article 35-A before the Supreme Court.
"There have been multiple postponement of the hearings of Article 35-A in the Supreme court before and after the panchayat elections were announced. It is just accidental that the case is listed in January and the panchayat elections are to be completed before that," he said.
The chief secretary said the Governor's administration is going to be consistent in its stand before the apex court that an elected state government should fight the case.
"The stand of the governor's adminstration is going to be consistent in the Supreme Court that there are many serious complex issues which have to be discussed as far as Article 35-A is concerned and these should not be discussed when Governor's rule is in place.
"These should be discussed when an elected government is in place, which will take a solid position in the Supreme Court. So, there is absolute clarity that Governor's rule is not about deciding Article 35-A," he said.
Asked when the assembly polls will be held in the state, the chief secretary said it was for authorities higher than him to decide.
"I am not competent to answer this question. It is for the authorities higher than me to decide," he said adding that an assembly was in place in the state.
Government also said the number of resignations of special police officers (SPOs), who have borne the brunt of militant attacks, is "negligible" and is restricted to certain areas of south Kashmir only.
State chief secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said all SPOs have been instructed about their personal safety while the government is in process of enhancing their honorarium.
"The problem of resignation of SPOs are restricted to certain areas. There is by and large no such problem in north and central Kashmir. It is concentrated in south Kashmir," he told reporters here.
Subrahmanyam said there were 30,000 SPOs in the state and the number of SPOs "resigning is negligible".
"We know that the honorarium of SPOs was enhanced from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 per month some time ago. The honorarium will be hiked substantially, but I do not want to give out any figures as it will be decided by the The State Administrative Council (headed by the Governor)," he added. The chief secretary said a decision in this regard will be taken in a few days.
Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen on September 21.
Earlier reports suggested that the killings had triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least six policemen resigning.
The Home Ministry had said the reports have appeared in a section of media that some special police officers in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated".

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