Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 6: Except for testing of 3000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Election Commission, on its part, has completed all formalities for holding of Municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir but it would be the new Government which will take a call on whether to hold the elections at this stage or defer them.
Governor N N Vohra during his rule had directed the Election Department to complete all formalities for holding the Urban Local Bodies elections by March 31. The elections were scheduled to be held in the first or second week of May.
However, with change of guard in the State on April 4 as popular Government took over, the decision on holding the elections has shifted to the new PDP-BJP Government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. But it was the Housing and Urban Development Department headed by BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, which has to first take decision on holding the elections and then seek the Cabinet approval.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu told the Excelsior that their Department has completed all formalities for holding the elections to Municipalities except for testing 3000 EVMs, which could take a fortnight or so.
He said the EVMs had been taken to five States, where Assembly elections were currently underway.
“But the State can call back the EVMs if the Government takes decision to hold Municipal elections in the month of May. As we need 2400 EVMs for holding elections to 78 ULBs, we will be testing 3000 EVMs. The process (of testing the EVMs) can take about 15 days, which can start and completed only after the Government fixes a deadline for us for holding the elections,” Shantmanu said.
It may be mentioned here that during the Governor rule, Vohra had used the powers of Legislature vested on him to amend Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act to use EVMs in the elections instead of ballot papers, which were prescribed previously.
Official sources said the Government has not taken any decision so far on the elections as it was waiting to settle down and then take a call in the Cabinet meeting. The PDP-BJP Government during 10 months stint previously hadn’t taken any decision to hold the ULB elections, leading to lapse of Rs 169 crores worth Central grants for the Municipalities for current financial year.
Sources said the process of calling back the EVMs from the States, where Assembly elections are being held, and testing them can even be held after announcement of the elections as generally the Election Commission had to keep 45 days time between announcement of elections schedule and first phase of the polling.
During the Governor’s rule, it had almost been decided that the elections will be held in single phase, or at the most, in two phases only.
“If the elections are not held in May, extreme summer would set in Jammu, which would be followed by start of annual Shri Amarnath ji yatra from July 2 that would make entire police force and para-military personnel busy in security of the yatris. Further, the new Government had to hold the Assembly session in May-June as it has to get full budget passed before June 30 since Governor N N Vohra has taken Vote-on-Account till June 30 only,” sources said.
There are a total of 78 Municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir including two Corporations (Jammu and Srinagar), six Councils (Kathua, Udhampur and Poonch in Jammu region and Anantnag, Sopore and Baramulla in Kashmir region). Rest 70 were the Municipal Committees.
Elections to the ULBs were last held in January-February 2005 and elected bodies had completed their five years term in March 2010. Since then, first the NC-Congress coalition Government and then PDP-BJP coalition Government made no efforts to hold elections to them.
It was during the Governor’s Rule that process to hold the elections was speedily set into motion and all arrangements were finalized to hold them in first or second week of May. However, before the Governor could execute the task, his rule was about to come to an end with PDP-BJP reviving their alliance and deciding to form next Government in the State during the next few days. The Governor’s administration has decided to leave the decision on holding elections to the ULBs followed by Panchayats on the new Government.
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