SEC overrules objections, releases reservation roster
All heads to be elected before Feb 20
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 1: Elections for the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir will be held on February 6 followed by others and the exercise in all 20 districts will be completed before February 20 as the State Election Commission (SEC) today overruled all objections/representations as “devoid of any merit” on reservation of the posts of Chairpersons for the District Development Councils (DDCs) and released final roster of reserved seats, which was same as the draft proposal issued on January 25.
Soon after the SEC released the reservation roster for the DDC chairpersons reserving six seats for women and two each for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes while keeping 10 for Open category, five Deputy Commissioners today issued notification for conduct of election to the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the DDCs on February 6.
Five districts where elections will be held on February 6 include Jammu, Kathua, Srinagar, Shopian and Kulgam, official sources told the Excelsior and said there has to be five days time between issuance of notification by the Deputy Commissioners and holding of elections for the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons.
Election in Udhampur district will be held on February 8.
Election in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir has to be completed before February 20 as, according to the Rules, chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the DDCs had to be elected within 20 days of issuance of final reservation notification by the SEC. The notification was issued today.
According to sources, notifications for elections to chairpersons and vice chairpersons of rest of the DDCs are also expected to be issued by the respective Deputy Commissioners in next few days to complete the exercise at the earliest.
“It was found that none of the objections/representations so received had any merit. No infirmity, leave alone irregularity was brought out in the draft notification for reservation dated 25 January 2021,” State Election Commissioner K K Sharma said in an order issued here. Pradesh Congress unit was among couple of parties which had filed objections to draft reservation roster released by the SEC.
On January 25, the SEC notified draft reservation of offices for chairpersons of DDCs in all the 20 districts, proposing 10 Councils for open category, six for women including one for Scheduled Tribe woman and two each for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes.
The maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections were held in November-December last year.
As per the draft reservation notification, the seats reserved for women include Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Ramban and Shopian besides Poonch for Scheduled Tribe woman. Jammu and Udhampur districts have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and Anantnag and Rajouri for Scheduled Tribes.
The rest of the 10 posts of chairpersons of the DDCs have been kept for Open category candidates. They included Bandipora, Budgam, Doda, Kathua, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Reasi, Samba and Srinagar.
“The Election Authority, therefore, in terms of the provisions of the J&K District Development Councils (Reservation of Offices of Chairpersons) Rules, 2021, and subject to outcome of any writ petition pending before the High Court, hereby reserves/allots the seats of chairpersons of DDCs for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women in the districts of the Union Territory,” the SEC order said.
As each DDC comprised 14 elected members, the party with eight votes will get its chairperson and vice chairperson elected. In Jammu region, the BJP has majority in six Councils including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda and Reasi while rest of the four districts have thrown hung verdict.
National Conference with six members has already secured support of two Congress men in Ramban DDC to claim majority. The NC has six members in Kishtwar DDC and support of an Independent. It was in talks with the Congress in Rajouri district. However, in Poonch district, there are eight Independents.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
