Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 3: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Narula, the Election Authority under Panchayati Raj Act today announced election to the posts of chairpersons of 143 Block Development Councils, which would be held on November 7. Counting of the votes shall start immediately after the elections and results will be declared by the evening. The elections will be held on non-party basis, like the Panchayat elections.
The Government decision to hold first ever elections to the BDCs comes close on the heels of massive uproar by various political parties including coalition partner, the Congress (I) for empowerment of Panchayats by implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India and protection of Panchayat members from the militants.
Official sources told the Excelsior that gazette notification for the BDC elections would be issued on October 10. The candidates can file their nominations till October 17. Scrutiny of nominations would be held on October 18 while October 20 has been fixed as last date for withdrawal of candidature. Polling and counting would be held on November 7 and the results would be declared on the same day.
The Election would be held for 143 BDCs including 77 in Kashmir Valley and 66 in Jammu region.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force with immediate effect, sources said.
Any person of the particular Block, eligible for contesting the election of Panch, can contest the election of BDC chairperson.
The Electoral College for the BDCs comprised 33,500 Sarpanchs and Panchs. Out of a total of 4098 Sarpanchs, 2145 were in Kashmir division and 1953 in Jammu division while out of 29,402 Panchs, 15,767 were in Kashmir divisional and 13,635 in Jammu division.
The elections will be conducted through ballot boxes and ballot papers and not through the Electronic Voting Machines. Sources said the ballot papers would be used as this was part of the State Panchayati Raj Act. To conduct the elections, the CEO has appointed 143 Returning Officers, 145 Assistant Returning Officers, 145 Presiding and 290 Polling Officers.
Voting would be held from 9 am to 3 pm while counting would start immediately after the completing of voting on November 7. Results would be declared in the same evening.
The CEO has notified criteria for the persons eligible to contest the elections of BDC chairpersons. The contestant should be a permanent resident of the State, his/her name should have been entered in Panchayat Electoral Roll of such Panchayat Halqa of the said block (i.e. the person contesting for the post of BDC chairperson should be resident of the same block), he/she should have attained the age of 25 years, he/she shouldn’t be of unsound mind and stand so declared by a competent court, he/she should not have been adjudged insolvent by a competent court, he/she should not be salaried servant of a Government , local body or a Halqa Panchayat, he/she shouldn’t have been dismissed from Government service or a local body, he/she shouldn’t be a Lambardar or village Chowkidar and he/she shouldn’t have been convicted or sentenced for an offence punishable with imprisonment for not less than two years, unless a period of three years or such less period as the Government may allow in any particular case, has elapsed since his release.
Sources said Photo Electoral rolls of all Sarpanchs and Panchs have been prepared and will be used during the polling.
This would be second tier of the Panchayats after the election of Sarpanchs and Panchs. The BDC chairpersons would be members of the District Development Boards, sources said.
The blocks for which elections would be held in Jammu district included Bishnah, RS Pura, Satwari, Marh, Bhalwal, Dansal, Akhnoor and Khour. The blocks in Samba were Samba, Vijaypur, Purmandal and Ghagwal. Kathua blocks are Lohai Malhar, Bani, Duggan, Basohli, Billawar, Hiranagar, Barnoti and Kathua while Udhampur blocks included Udhampur, Chenani, Dudu Basantgarh, Ramnagar, Ghordi, Panchari and Majalta.
The blocks for which elections would be held in Kishtwar included Kishtwar, Inderwal, Drabshalla, Paddar, Nagseni, Marwah, Warwan and Dachan while Doda blocks were Assar, Marmat, Ghat Doda, Bhagwah, Gundana, Thathri, Bhallesa and Bhaderwah. Ramban blocks are Ramban, Banihal, Ramsoo and Gool. The blocks of Reasi included Pouni, Reasi, Mahore and Arnas.
Twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch blocks, which would go to elections, were Sunderbani, Doongi, Nowshera, Manjakote, Rajouri, Thanna Mandi, Kalakote, Darhal and Budhal (all in Rajouri), Balakote, Surankote, Bafliaz, Mandi and Poonch (all in Poonch).
In Ladakh, the blocks of Leh district included Leh, Chuchot, Nobra, Panamic, Nyoma, Durbuk, Kahru, Khaltsi and Suspoi while blocks of Kargil district are Taisura, Drass, Kargil, GM Pore (Trespone), Sankoo, Shaker Chiktan, Zanskar, Lungnuk and Shargole.
The blocks of Kupwara, which would undergo elections for chairpersons, have been notified as Kupwara, Wavoora, Sogam, Ramhal, Rajwara, Langate, Kralpora, Trehgam, Tangdhar, Teetwal and Kalaroos. The Baramulla blocks are Uri, Boniyar, Rohama, Wagoora, Tangmarg, Kunzer, Rafiabad, Singhpora, Pattan, Zaingeer, Baramulla and Sopore.
The Bandipora blocks are Sumbal, Hajin, Bandipora, Gurez and Tulail while the blocks of Ganderbal are Kangan, Lar, Ganderbal and Wakura. Srinagar district has only one block of Srinagar while Budgam blocks are Budgam, Nagam, Chadoora, Beerwah, Khansahib, Khag, Narbal and BK Pora.
Blocks of Pulwama, which would elect the BDC chairpersons, included Keller (Main Block), Pulwama, Kakapora, Tral and Pampore while Shopian Blocks are Shopian and Keller Partly (Main Block in Pulwama).
Kulgam blocks notified for the elections are Quimoh (Main Block), Pahloo, Kulgam, Devsar and DH Pora while Anantnag blocks are Qaimooh Partly (Main block in district Kulgam), Breng, Shangus, Shahabad, Khoveripora, Dachnipora, Qazigund and Achabal.
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