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| Ladakh, north Kashmir may go for ULB polls in phase 1 | | | Early Times Report
srinagar, Sept 12: The Governor's administration is mulling to hold urban local bodies elections in phases starting from Ladakh and peaceful areas of Kashmir region.
On August 31, Governor Satya Pal Malik had announced the long-pending panchayat and urban elections in the state beginning October 1 and culminating on December 4. It was decided that the municipal elections would be held in four phases from October 1 to October 5 while panchayat polls shall be conducted in eight phases from November 8 to December 4.
At the same time, there are apprehensions over security situation in Kashmir.
"If the situation remains normal, the elections may be held in Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara along with Ladakh region in first phase," an official of Chief Electoral Officer said.
"For sensitive districts of south Kashmir, polls may be held in third phase. South Kashmir is only the concern while the polls could be held peacefully in rest of the state," the official said.
He said that polls are likely to be held in Jammu region in fourth phase, while Srinagar and Budgam may go for polls in second phase," the official said.
Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam on Wednesday said that municipal and panchayat polls would not be deferred in the state.
He said that there are adequate security arrangements in place for conducting polls. "Administration has made fool-proof arrangements for the polls, administration is regularly monitoring security scenario to ensure elections are conducted in a conducive atmosphere," he said.
However, two main political parties, the National Conference and People's Democratic Party have announced that they will boycott the upcoming panchayat and municipal elections in the state.
Raising apprehensions over uncertainty in the state, the Congress on Wednesday also seems to be indecisive about its participation in the upcoming panchayat and municipal polls.
"There is a lot of confusion over the issue of conduct of the Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies polls. So we are sending a delegation of our senior leaders to brief party high command over the situation and accordingly will decide on participation in polls ahead," State Congress president, G A Mir said, while accusing the Centre for creating 'uncertainty' over these
The ULB polls were held in J&K after a span of 23 years in January 2005. However, the civic polls could not be held since 2011 despite the successive governments set up several deadlines about holding the elections. The panchayats completed their term in July 2016. Elections to panchayats were last held in April-May 2011 during Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress regime after a gap of 37 years. The government postponed these polls for several times in the last three years. |
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