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| Panchayat polls likely in September; State continues to lose huge central funds | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
srinagar, Apr 30: The much-awaited Panchayat and urban local bodies' elections in the state are likely to be held in September this year.
Top sources in the government told ET that though the government of India was mounting pressure on the state government for holding of the panchayat elections and had conveyed the same to the state through Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the BJP high command, but the Government here has expressed unwillingness to hold the much-delayed panchayat polls before August 2018.
On February 4, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired an all-party meeting to hear the views of all parties. The mainstream political groups in the all-party meeting were not unanimous on holding the poll at this point of time. However opposition parties had put the onus on the coalition government to take a final call on the elections, saying that it was the responsibility of the state government to provide security to all candidates.
Due to delay in Panchayat polls, the central government has stopped certain funds to Jammu and Kashmir especially the amount that has to be spent only through the elected Panchayats and ULBs.
The panchayat elections, which were due in 2016, have been delayed due to various factors. After the completion of delimitation of panchayats last year, 280 new panchayats and 4,000 panch segments were added to the existing rural bodies.
Prior to the delimitation, there were 4,098 panchayats in the state, including 2,145 in the Kashmir division (including Ladakh region) and 1,953 in Jammu province. Besides, there were 15,767 panch segments in the Kashmir division and 13,635 in the Jammu division.
The last panchayat elections were held in April-May 2011 with 80% turnout. J&K has 4,378 panchayats.
Elections to Panchayats were last held in April-May 2011 during Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress regime after a gap of 37 years.
It is to mention here that the government had informed the Legislative Assembly that it would conduct elections to Panchayat Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies soon.
"The Election Authority has announced the revision of Panchayat Electoral rolls for which the process is going on. Directions have been passed to the concerned for completing the construction work on the incomplete Panchayat Ghars in various parts of the state for which funds are available under 13th FC," the government had said. |
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