Women to get 33%, quantum of others being worked out
RDD to notify Reservation Rules before elections
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 24: In a significant decision, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to give reservations to women and other categories in the posts of Chairpersons of the newly elected District Development Councils (DDCs) which will be constituted shortly after oath of the newly elected members followed by election to Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons.
The Union Territory has total of 20 DDCs-10 each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Rural Development Department (RDD) is working on framing Reservation Rules for reserving posts of Chairpersons of the DDCs. The Rules will be out within the next few days after which elections will be held for the posts of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons.
“The Government has decided that there will be 33 percent reservation to women in the posts of Chairpersons to the DDCs i.e. at least six or seven Chairpersons of the DDCs will be women,” sources said, adding quantum of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is also being worked out but things would be clear only once the Reservation Rules are framed by the Rural Development Department for which the process is on.
It may be mentioned here that the Government had given 33 percent reservation to women besides Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the just concluded elections for territorial constituencies of the DDCs.
The Government, according to sources, has fixed December 28 as the date for oath of newly elected members of the DDCs.
“The Deputy Commissioners will administer oath to the newly elected members at their respective district headquarters,” sources said, adding elections for Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of the DDCs will be conducted once the Reservation Rules are out and it is known which DDCs have been reserved for women and other categories.
Sources said the quantum of reservation for SCs and STs is yet to be finalized.
They added that 278 winners of the DDC elections have been finalized by the State Election Commission. Counting has been suspended in two DDC territorial constituencies. Each district has 14 elected members. The political party having support of eight members will have its Chairperson and Vice Chairperson in the DDC. The BJP will have six Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons in the Jammu region as they have secured majority in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi and Doda districts.
However, the BJP hasn’t yet set the exercise in motion for finalizing names of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons in the districts where it has secured majority.
BJP president Ravinder Raina told the Excelsior the party will sit shortly but the Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons have to be selected by the elected members.
“We will take the call shortly,” he said, adding the BJP could take or give support to like-minded parties if they come forward for the election of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons in the districts where the BJP hasn’t been able to get majority
It may be mentioned here that in four districts of Jammu region, no party has been able to secure majority but the National Conference has emerged as single largest party in three districts winning six seats each in Kishtwar and Ramban and five in Rajouri while Independents are in majority winning eight seats in Poonch district.
The Congress hasn’t been able to secure majority in any of the districts.
The District Development Councils will replace the District Development Boards (DDBs), which existed in Jammu and Kashmir earlier and had Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers as Chairpersons. However, the DDCs comprised elected members only and will have responsibility of development of the district.
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