Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 8: Governor NN Vohra has called for holding early elections to Panchayats and Municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir and eradication of “inefficient and corrupt” officials and officers from the State Government.
He made these significant observations when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called on him at the Raj Bhawan here this afternoon. The meeting lasted about half an hour.
The Governor had, for the past quite some time, been calling for immediate holding of elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies. Even Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked the State Government to hold Panchayat elections in the State to restore democratic institutions at grass root level and give power to the people for developmental works.
An official handout issued by the Raj Bhavan after the meeting between Vohra and Mehbooba Mufti said the Governor has stressed for early establishment of urban and grass root democratic institutions in the State for promotion and welfare of the people, a clear indication that the Governor has asked for holding elections to Panchayats and Municipalities in the State at the earliest.
Another significant observation conveyed by the Governor through the official handout pertained to inefficiency and corrupt practices by some Government officials and officers. It said the Governor has stressed for eradication of “inefficient and corrupt elements”, an indication that he has asked for removal of corrupt officials and officers, besides the deadwood, from the State Government.
Vohra also stressed the vital importance of ensuring “transparent and accountable functioning” of the administrative system.
The Raj Bhavan handout said the Chief Minister briefed the Government on host of issues including rural and urban local bodies’ elections, tentative schedule of the budget session of the Legislature, internal and external security situation, her recent district wise tours in the Valley and issues related to growth and development.
The Government had initially decided to hold Panchayat elections in the State starting from plain areas in the winter followed by upper reaches in March and April when the weather would open up. The Panchayats had ceased to exist in the State in July 2016 i.e. about one and a half years back on completion of their five-year term but since then no serious efforts have been made by the State Government to hold elections to them.
The Governor had issued an Ordinance in first week of November designating Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Shaleen Kabra, as the State Election Commission for the purpose of holding Panchayat elections in the State, which was a major Constitutional formality to set the election process in motion.
According to sources, the SEC has completed majority of formalities for holding the Panchayat elections and was now waiting the State Government nod for announcing the schedule. However, with winter setting-in and the Government deciding to call budget session of the Legislature in January, the doubts have been raised over early Panchayat polls, which might have prompted the Governor to reiterate his suggestion for early Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies’ elections, they said.
While there were no Panchayats for past one and a half years, the elected Urban Local Bodies had ceased to exist in March 2010 i.e. more than seven and half years back and since then neither the previous National Conference-Congress Government headed by Omar Abdullah nor the present PDP-BJP coalition led by Mehbooba Mufti ever made any efforts to hold Municipal elections.
However, Governor NN Vohra during the Governor rule from January to April 2016 after the demise of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has set the process in motion for holding Municipal elections in April by issuing Ordinance and designating then CEO Shantmanu as the State Election Commissioner for Municipal polls. But, in the meantime, elected PDP-BJP Government headed by Mehbooba Mufti was back in power and the election process was shelved.
Number of the Panchayats, where elections are to be held, have gone up to 4500 as compared to 4166 in 2011. Last elections to Panchayats were held in 2011 and the elected Panchayats had completed their term in June 2016.
Out of 334 newly carved out Panchayats, 165 have been increased in Jammu division and 169 in Kashmir division. With this number of Panchayats in Jammu division has increased to 2121 as compared to 1956 in 2011. Number of the Panchayats has gone up to 2379 in Kashmir division as against 2210.
Panchayats of Ladakh region are included in Kashmir division.
As per the new arrangement, the people will only elect Panches as there will be no direct election of Sarpanches, like 2011. Sarpanch will be elected by Panches of that Panchayat, sources said, adding that the Government had decided to do away with the process of direct election of Sarpanches.
Sources said the Election Department has also finalized voter lists for the Panchayat elections. Number of the electorates for Panchayat elections has come out at around 57 lakh after extensive exercise undertaken by the Election Department for updating electoral rolls.
Few days back, former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah had met the Governor and called for holding Panchayat elections in the State. He had, however, opposed new process of “indirect election” of the Sarpanches.
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