Process to complete BDC polls in J&K by mid October begins
As per my knowledge of the Panchayat Act, there should be 75% electoral college for the block development committee polls.
SHAFIQ MIR, J&K Panchayati Conference chairman We are hopeful of holding elections in all 316 blocks. Once the electoral list is published, we will be able to convey if any block will be deleted SHEETAL NANDA,
Panchayat secretary
SRINAGAR: Amid current political vacuum, the government has initiated the process of block development committee (BDC) elections and plans to complete it in 316 blocks by mid October.
This is going to be the first time when BDC elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, panchayat elections were held in the erstwhile state with two mainstream political parties—national Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party boycotting the polls. The block development committee’s and district development corporations (DDC’S) are considered the second and third tier of the panchayati raj system.
Officials said preparations of the electoral role for the polls is underway and will be completed by September 15 and published simultaneously.
Panchayat secretary Sheetal Nanda said preparation to hold the BDC elections in J&K is in full swing.
“We are planning to hold elections by October 15. If we are successful in holding the polls in October then it will be held in all three regions—jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,’’ Nanda said. “We are hopeful of holding polls in all 316 blocks.once the electoral list is published, we will be able to convey if any block will be deleted,” Nanda added.
Nanda said that the BDC polls are being held in J&K for the first time. “The aim is to empower the panchayati raj system. This process will also give chance to the emergence of a new and stronger leadership in J&K.” she said.
Sources, however, said if polls get delayed till November, then separate elections could be held for Ladakh as after October 31, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be two separatae Union territories.
J&K Panchayati Conference chairman Shafiq Mir said in present circumstances, he fears that elections of many BDC’S will not be able to take place in south and central Kashmir due to absence of panches and sarpanches.
“As per my knowledge of the Panchayat Act, there should be 75% electoral college for the BDC polls. However, in Jammu, Ladakh and north Kashmir and several pockets of central Kashmir, polls could be held,” Mir said.
However, Nanda said 75% electoral college is not required for BDC polls. There are around 35,000 panches and more than 3,500 elected sarpanches in J&K. Recently, some panchayat members also met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and stressed on holding BDC and DDC elections in panchayats.
Holding elections in Kashmir cannot be an easy task as the Valley remains under a lockdown since August 5 after the abrogation of Article 370. Though restrictions have been removed from most parts of Kashmir, security forces remain deployed.
In 2018, panchayat elections witnessed a good turnout. However, in south and central Kashmir at many panchayats not a single person filed nominations for the polls.