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| BJP-PDP coalition to hold Panchayat elections in April 2017 | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 14: Prior to facing opposition NC-Congress in the Lok Sabha polls, BJP-PDP is set to face the acid test of Panchayat elections across the state either in the last week of March or in the first week of April 2017.
Sources in the state election department told Early Times that they are ready for the elections and it is now for the state government to take a decision. There was talk of using EVM machines but state election department officials said that ballot boxes would be used for the Panchayat elections. They added that they are ready for Panchayat elections since the days of ex-Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed who had during his tenure made up the mind to hold elections by March 2016.
But his death which was followed by state passing through a almost three months of Governor rule from January 7 to April 3. The present Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti assumed office on April 4. If the sources are to be believed, ex-Chief Minister Late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had assigned the task of holding both Panchayat as well as local body elections to present Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu, immediately after taking over reigns of power in J&K.
They added that Mufti would off and on call up Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu to inquire about the preparations for both Panchayat and Local body elections. Sources further said that the office of CEO J&K speeded up the process and was ready for elections by November 2015. The same was brought in the notice of the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. Sources said that late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had desired to see the elections completed by April 2016.
They added that the state election department had even announced a date in April 2016 for holding the elections. Ex-chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was so keen for holding Panchayat elections that he once made a public announcement in October 2016 about Panchayat as well as local body elections to be held in April 2016. While state election department was all set to go for issuing the notification for elections, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed passed away.
This was followed by Governor N.N.Vohra taking over reigns of power from January 8, 2016 until Mehbooba was sworn-in on April 4, 2016 in Jammu. His administrative council carried the process initiated during Mufti's tenure forward and approved the holding of Panchayat elections in J&K in April 2016. But by then indecisive Mehbooba Mufti had made up her to carry forward the mission of her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
She took over in April 2016 and had no time for thinking about Panchayat elections since state budget was to be passed. Mehbooba asked the state election department to prepare for elections anytime after June. But before she could take up the proposal in the cabinet and ask the state election department to announce dates, situation deteriorated across Kashmir valley and there were no signs of normalcy till the onset of winters in the valley.
Though the situation has not improved across Kashmir valley but state election department feels that if normalcy returns to valley completely and there is no new disturbance, elections for Panchayats as well as local bodies alongwith two Lok Sabha seats can be planned in the month of April 2017. Sources said that the Chief Secretary B.R.Sharma is holding a meeting with CEO of J&K Shantmanu on December 15, 2016 to know about the preparations for the Panchayat elections.
To initiate the process of holding panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu has already directed the state officials to make preparations for segregating electoral rolls within a week. He has also directed the Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RDPR) Department, to be ready for segregating the electoral rolls and update and map ward constituencies, Panchayat Halqas, blocks and districts.
CEO is likely to appoint district Panchayat officers as nodal officers for carrying out election-related activities. The term of 4,098 Panchayats had come to end in July 2016 and elections were required to be held before June 2016. Jammu and Kashmir has 4,098 Sarpanch constituencies (Panchayats) and 29,402 Panch constituencies.
J&K witnessed the first Panchayat elections in 1974. After that a few Panchayats went to the poll in 2000. However, in 2011 during the National Conference-Congress government regime, elections in all Panchayats were held. |
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