Govt examining fresh proposal submitted by Congress party

Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Sept 29: Even as bickering among the coalition partners – Congress and National Conference (NC) continued over the issue of inclusion of 73rd Amendments, the former has proposed fresh amendments to latter and has been pressing the State Government for their earliest implementation.
Reliable Sources told EXCELSIOR that after the issue was recently raked up again by some Congress Ministers in the recently held Cabinet Meetings and the Minister associated with NC assured their colleague that the Government has issued directions to Law Department for preparing a detailed note regarding the proposed amendments.
“JKPCC (I) chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz has also taken up the matter pertaining to new proposed amendments with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also working president of the National Conference for their early implementation”, sources asserted.
Sources said, “there is complete unanimity among the coalition partners over the incorporation of 73rd Amendments pertaining to granting constitutional guarantee  to Panchayats on completion of five years term followed by elections after every five years, financial and administrative powers including control over development and 14 identified Departments, setting up of separate Finance Commission and Election Commission for the Panchayats, reservation in second and third tier of Panchayats for SC/STs and women i.e. BDCs and District Development and Planning Boards (DDPBs), security to Panchayats members and providing emoluments to Panchayat members and to BDC DDPB”.
The State Cabinet in May this year had kept in abeyance the Report of the Government Committee constituted by the State Government to recommend amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989. The Cabinet deferred the decision after Congress Ministers headed by Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand met the Chief Minister personally and apprised him of their reservations on the issue.
“Subsequently, the JKPCC (I) chief has conveyed in writing to the Chief Minister that the amendments proposed by the Government Committee fell short of the expectations of the Congress party.  Mr Soz has in writing conveyed some specific amendments, which need to be implemented in letter and spirit”, sources said adding, “of particular significance is the refusal of the Government Committee to alter the present form, whereby the Chairman of the DDPB is nominated by the Government.”
The Government Committee has also opposed the suggestions that supersession of Halqa Panchayat should not take place through Panchayat Advisory Council and instead there should be a Cabinet decision for the same.
Commenting on the status of the 73rd Amendments, Prof Soz said, “the ball is in  the court of State and they have to come up with a comprehensive proposal to incorporate the necessary amendments in the State Act”.
“The matter is being vigorously pursued with the coalition partner and we intend to implement the decision as early as possible”, said Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mir Saifullah said, “the issue of proposed amendment had been discussed in the cabinet meeting and we have conveyed to our Congress colleagues that Law Department is studying the proposals submitted by them. We intend to revert back to them once the exercise is over”.
Meanwhile, sources in Law Department confirmed, “while the amendments proposed by Prof Soz are being examined, we haven’t reached to any conclusion so far.”
It is pertinent to mention that All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and In-charge of Jammu and Kashmir affairs Ambika Soni in a Congress convention held around a week back had categorically stated that the party has given two months time to Chief Minister to incorporate these provisions and the party will take further decision about the future of the coalition, if the provisions are not incorporated in two months.
Earlier, the Congress party had set up two Committees — one headed by Ravinder Sharma, MLC and another by G A Mir, MLA (now Tourism Minister) for studying the provisions of the 73rd Amendment for incorporation in the State Act. These two reports later became part of a high level Government Committee for examination of the proposal on the same subject.

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