Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 11: Terming the delay in the conduct of elections unhealthy for the democracy and decentralization, besides development of the urban areas, social activist-AR Sharma took the matter to the court of law and approached the High Court, seeking directions for timely elections for the Urban Local Bodies, which are otherwise in limbo since 2010. Terming the delay in the conduct of elections unhealthy for the democracy and decentralization, besides development of the urban areas, social activist-AR Sharma maintained that the elections to Urban Local Bodies were last held in the year 2005 and their five-year term expired in 2010. "No attention was paid towards holding fresh elections to these grass root level democratic institutions in urban areas of the State, he submitted to court. He added that due to non-holding of elections, the State lost Central assistance worth several hundred crores of rupees as the funds for both Urban and Rural Local Bodies are conditional and unless these stipulations are fully met, the Union Government doesn't provide funds. |
