EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 8: The recently announced schedule by the Election Commission to conduct elections for the newly created District Development Council (DDCs) and panchayats by polls is exposing a dilemma which persists among the administration as except Jammu and Kashmir, across India elections to panchayats have been done on party basis and not on non-party basis.
While making the announcement for conduct of elections, the Jammu and Kashmir poll panel on November 4 had announced an eight phase election to 20 DDCs, beginning November 28. It was also claimed that following amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act in October for setting up of DDCs in each district, it would mark the implementation of entire 73rd amendment in UT.
“But the conduct of DDC polls on party basis while panchayats by-polls on non-party basis is quite against the system followed across the country”, an official said, adding that though it was claimed during the abrogation of Article 370 that Jammu and Kashmir is fully integrated with India but still differences exists.
Sources said that when the panchayats polls were held in the year 2018, it were held as per the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act due to which the polls were held on non-party basis. “But now the elections have been done as per amended Act but still panchayats polls are being held on non-party basis, which exposed a dilemma among the administration, which has not been able to fully implement the rules, applicable across country”, an official said.
Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference Chairman, Shafiq Mir said that the administration seemed totally confused. “Either the administration should implement the actual Panchayati Raj Act applicable across the country or it would conduct elections as per JK Panchayat Raj Act”, he said.
Explaining some other disparities, Mir further said across the country the elections to Block Development Councils (BDCs) have been conducted directly and voters directly elect the BDCs but in J&K, BDC Chairman have been elected by panchayats representatives. “A new DDCs have been instituted but across the country there are Zila Parishads”, Mir said. |
