Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 20: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, a body of elected Panchayat representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, has termed the creation of district territorial constituencies and recent amendments made in Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989 as a good move.
Talking to the media-persons here today, Anil Sharma, UT president of the organization congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for taking historic and courageous steps to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions in J&K Union Territory.
Calling it as a historic move, the AJKPC president said the recent amendments in Panchayati Raj Act and the decision of the Government to hold elections of the Territorial District constituencies deserves appreciation.
Sharma said all the people of Jammu and Kashmir were waiting for over 70 years to see real empowerment of local bodies and it is time to celebrate when the decision is announced to give real autonomy to rural local bodies.
He said the previous Governments at the Centre and in the Jammu and Kashmir made only hollow promises with the people and especially with the elected Panchayat members but none of them was sincere to strengthen them and it is only the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made this happen and it’s like a dream come true for Panchayat members in Jammu and Kashmir.
“With these amendments, all major provisions of the 73rd Amendment of Indian Constitution have been extended to Jammu and Kashmir. This is what the Panchayat members had been fighting for,” the AJKPC leader said.
He said around 40,000 elected Panchayat members of J&K Union Territory are hopeful and request the Union Government to immediately announce the elections of the vacant Panchayat seats and also hold parallel elections of the Territorial District constituencies.
He also demanded that these elections must be conducted on a non-party basis as Panchayati Raj Institutions are community development issues and they must not be dragged into other political issues.
Sharma cautioned the Panches and Sarpanches to remain vigilant from negative forces who are always inimical to Indian democracy and he apprehended that these individuals and organizations might mislead the people and Panches, Sarpanches or the BDC Chairperson on one pretext or the another.
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