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| ULB polls unlikely by Dec as allies fail to reach 'meeting ground' | | NC led coalition falters on one more commitment....... | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 7: Having failed to keep its word on key issues concerning masses, the NC led coalition Government is all set to falter on one more commitment it made early this year. With the two alliance partners not able to find any meeting ground on the issue of empowerment of Panchayats, one more democratic institution will face the same fate as Urban Local Bodies elections are unlikely to happen by the end of this year.
Sources within the Government said that even though Chief Minister on the first day of reopening of offices in the winter capital tried to paint a good picture about relations between two allies on the issue of 73rdand 74th amendments, the fact remains that both National Conference and Congress have not convened any meeting ever since the State Cabinet announced deferment of BDC polls last month . "There is no effort from either of party leaders to convene a meeting in which mater could be discussed further so that some forward movement could take place in terms of steps to ensure reservation to SCs, STs as sought by the Congress…", said a senior minister. There is no question of the two parties reaching any common ground on adoption of the amendments as their stand is diagonally opposed, he said adding that the difference and discord on 73rd amendment will be true for the 74th Constitutional amendment which ensures provisions and powers for Local bodies.
Sources said the Government may or may not come out with formal announcement on postponement of the polls, but as the situation and status prevails at present in the coalition, chances for holding of Municipal polls under such circumstances are remote. Pertinently, the polls for these institutions are due now for nearly three years, making these democratic bodies defunct and depriving common masses of the facilities guaranteed under the Act. Funds to the tune hundreds of crores have also been withheld by the Centre as these institutions are not in place.
The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, it is worthwhile to mention here had announced that polls would be held by the end of this year, most likely in December. The Urban Local Bodies polls which Government had committed in this year's budget session soon after shifting of durbar to summer capital were deferred as Chief Minister gave the pretext of tourist season having begun in valley early which his Government could not afford to disturb. However he made a firm commitment that these would be held by the end of this year.
Even in the month of September, the Coordination Committee which is the highest body to sort out differences on any issue, took up this as agenda of utmost significance in which both National Conference and Congress agreed on urgency to initiate the exercise . It was publicly conveyed by its chairman Prof Saif-u-Din So that a formal order would be communicated to Election Commission shortly by the Government. However, both the order as well as formal announcement remains elusive as the allies are indecisive and evading the matter for apparent political reasons. |
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