Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 1: Ongoing unrest in Kashmir for the past more than three weeks has diminished hopes of holding Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections in the State while the Election Commission has to meet the deadline of filling up the vacancy of Anantnag Parliamentary seat, which had been vacated by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after her election to the Legislative Assembly, by January 10 as, according to the existing system, the Commission had to fill vacant Lok Sabha seat within six months of the resignation of the member.
Mehbooba Mufti had quit her Lok Sabha membership from South Kashmir constituency of Anantnag-Pulwama on July 10 after being elected to the Legislative Assembly from Anantnag seat on June 25. She had been elected to Lok Sabha in April-May 2014 Parliamentary polls from Anantnag-Pulwama seat.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Shantmanu confirmed to the Excelsior that as per the existing provisions, the Commission had to fill Lok Sabha seat of Anantnag-Pulwama within six months of Mufti’s resignation. The Election Commission, he said, holds meeting for review of law and order situation and election preparedness for holding the election.
“Presently, the situation is not conducive for holding the election in view of ongoing unrest in the Valley. The Election Commission could take review of the situation next month or at some later date,” Shantmanu said.
According to official sources, the election to Anantnag seat can be held only in November or early December as later several parts of the constituency would become snowbound. “If the unrest settles by then, the election can be held smoothly but if it persists, the full bench of Election Commission will take a decision,” they said.
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that present unrest in the Valley, which has taken about 50 lives and left more than 5000 others injured, has pushed the Panchayat and Municipal elections in the State to next year.
“There is no scope left now for holding the two elections. The State Government had earlier decided that both the elections would be held during the current year itself,” sources said but added that it was all over for the two elections now as all out concentration of the law and order machinery was focused on restoration of normalcy in the Valley.
The Panchayats have completed their five-year term on July 17 this year while the Municipalities had completed their term in March, 2010. Even if the unrest ends, the two coalition partners, PDP and BJP, might not go for the elections this year sensing that “popular mood” was not in their favour.
Governor NN Vohra during his rule from January 8 to April 3 this year after the sudden death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had made all preparations for holding Municipal elections in the month of May followed by Panchayat polls in June or July. For Panchayats to be in place timely, the Government had to hold elections to them in May-June as their term had to expire on July 17.
Panchayat elections were last held in April-May 2011 during NC-Congress regime after a gap of 37 years. Prior to that, J&K had witnessed Panchayat elections only in 1974.
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 up for varied reasons.
Even there was a direction from the High Court to the Government to hold Municipal elections within six months, which expires in October this year. The Government was likely to seek review of the order.
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 came to an end with PDP-BJP reviving their alliance and formed new Government in the State on April 4.
The State Government was set to lose substantial Central funding in the absence of elected Panchayats and Municipal bodies.
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