Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 26: Welcoming the State Election Commission’s statement over the possibility of conducting Panchayat elections in October-November this year, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) on today urged the Union Government for the conduct of delimitation of Halqa Panchayats for rationalisation of electorates before holding these polls.
Addressing a press conference here, Anil Sharma, AJKPC president said, “We welcome the statement of State Election Commissioner, B R Sharma that they are intended to hold Panchayat polls in October-November this year. We want to convey that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly existing PRI members are ready for elections but it is imperative for the Commission to immediately conduct Delimitation of Halqa Panchayats so that rationalisation of voters is done prior to these polls”.
“There are Panchayats where the number of voters is just 600 while this number is anything between 3000 and 4,000 in other Panchayats. There is a need for rationalisation of these Panchayats to have level playing field for ensuring free, fair and transparent polls,” Sharma said.
The AJKPC leader also reiterated its demand for conducting polls for all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as the guidelines of 73rd Amendment of Indian Constitution, together for bringing vibrancy in the system.
“The term of existing District Development Councils (DDCs) will end in November-December 2025. The guidelines of 73rd Amendment state all the three-tiers of the PRIs should have co-terminus and elections to these bodies should be conducted within a span of 45 days. The simultaneous elections will ensure vibrancy in the rural bodies,” Sharma said.
He added, “As the term of the District Development Councils shall end in 2025 therefore, there is no logic to end the term of the Panchayats prior to that. The Government should both extend the term of the existing Panchayats in J&K by at-least two more years and hold Panchayat elections in January 2026 or it should pre-pone elections of DDCs and BDCs for simultaneous polls by the end of this year”.
“We request the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah that they should personally intervene into the matter and the Delimitation of Halqa Panchayats should be ordered without any further delay”.
Among others who attended the press conference were Nazir Ahmed Rania, GH Rishi, Mohed Yousuf Babba, Shaniwaz Rishi, AK Pandita, Manoj Pandita, Mahesh Dhar, Ranjni Domi, Noora Bhagam.
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