Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has expressed its concerns over the vacant position of the Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission and urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take immediate action to fill the vacancy.
The organization, dedicated to strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasized the importance of this constitutional position in overseeing the preparation and conduct of Panchayat elections.
AJKPC President Anil Sharma, during a press conference held at the organization’s headquarters in Jammu, highlighted that the position of Election Commissioner has been vacant since 1st February 2023, after the completion of Kewal Kumar Sharma’s term.
“Despite the passage of five months, no steps have been taken to fill the crucial role,” he said. Sharma further emphasized the need for delimitation of Panchayat Halqas (constituencies) to ensure fairness and prevent discrimination.
He pointed out the imbalance in the population and number of voters among different Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, with some exceeding 4,000 voters while others having fewer than 2,000.
“To address this disparity, a transparent delimitation process should be carried out before conducting Panchayat elections,” he said.
The AJKPC aslo called for the delimitation of Urban Local Bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. The organization expressed its full support and cooperation to the Government in conducting these elections and urged educated locals to actively participate, aiming to make the Panchayati Raj Institutions a successful model in India.
Prominent office bearers of AJKPC, including Des Raj Bhagat, Ram Saroop Sharma, Prabh Dayal, Ganesh Dass, Kashori Lal, Varinder Kumar, Som Nath, Bal Krishn, Sudesh Kumar, Arjun Kumar, and Noor Din, were present during the media interaction.
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