Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: The Municipal and Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which were scheduled to be held in the State during the months of May and June respectively, were likely to be deferred in view of upcoming budget session of the Legislature, annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath ji shrine and Assembly election to Anantnag Assembly seat.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Governor NN Vohra during the Governor’s rule in the State had ordered completion of formalities for holding Municipal elections on March 1 and holding elections in first week of May. Likewise, Panchayat elections were due in the State during the month of June as existing Panchayats were completing their five year term on July 16.
However, according to sources, the Government was likely to defer both the elections for sometime at least but a final decision will be taken by the State Cabinet.
As per the Governor’s directions, the Election Department had completed all formalities for holding the Municipal elections to 78 civic bodies by publishing final electoral rolls and lists of the Reserved Wards on March 31. The election schedule was likely to be announced in next couple of days to facilitate polling in single or two phases in first week of May. However, in between, the PDP-BJP decided to revive the Government, which was formed on April 4 and the Governor decided to leave the decision of holding the Urban Local Bodies elections to the new Government.
Sources said though the new Government was yet to discuss the subject of elections, the ULB polls, which were scheduled for first or second week of May, are likely to be deferred due to a number of reasons.
“The Government will have to get the budget passed before June 30 as Governor has taken the Vote-on-Account for three months, beginning April 1, and for that the session has to be started by the end of March. Further, the Government has to utilize existing strength of para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police from the middle of June for annual Amarnath ji pilgrimage starting July 2 this year,” sources pointed out.
Moreover, they said, the Election Commission has to hold Anantnag by-election by the middle of June though deadline for filling up the seat is July 7. The State Election Authorities have requested the Election Commission of India to complete election process for Anantnag Assembly seat by June 15 as security forces had to be deployed later for Shri Amarnath ji yatra. It may be mentioned here that Pahalgam town, the base camp of traditional track of Amarnath Ji yatra, falls in Anantnag district.
Anantnag Assembly seat had fallen vacant on January 7 with the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Now, Anantnag Lok Sabha seat was also likely to fall vacant as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who represents the Parliamentary constituency, had to quit the seat.
Sources said if Ms Mufti decides to quit her Parliamentary seat within the next few days, the Election Commission can go for simultaneous polls to both Anantnag Lok Sabha and Assembly seats but if she delays the resignation as she had the option of retaining her Lok Sabha membership for six months, the Commission had to fill the Assembly seat by July 7.
Sources said the similar factors like full budget session, which generally lasts a month, Amarnath ji pilgrimage and Anantnag by-poll could also impact Panchayat elections for which the Election Authorities here had set the process into motion by ordering publication of lists of reserved constituencies of Sarpanchs and Panchs for inviting objections and draft rolls etc.
However, the timely Panchayat elections were also unlikely. As existing Panchayats will be completing their tenure on July 16, the new Panchayats had to be in place in the first week of July and for that Panchayat elections, which had to be held in five to six phases should start from June 1.
“This now seems to be a distinct possibility,” sources said.
Panchayat elections were last held in April-May 2011 during NC-Congress regime after a gap of 37 years. Similarly, the Municipal elections were last held in the State in January-February 2005 after a gap of 26 years. The Municipalities had ceased to exist in March 2010 and since then process for holding elections to them was initiated several times but every time it had to be given for varied reasons.
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 in 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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