Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 11: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), president today issued a strong and urgent appeal to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, and the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, demanding conduct of Panchayat elections without more delay in the Union Territory.
Highlighting the crucial role of Panchayati Raj institutions in grassroots governance, Sharma emphasized the need for urgent action to restore democratic representation at the village level. He expressed concern over the absence of elected Panchayats for more than a year since their dissolution on January 9, 2024. This prolonged void has severely impacted rural governance, delayed developmental projects, and hindered the effective implementation of government welfare schemes across Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharma stated that without elected Panchs and Sarpanchs, villagers have been left without their direct representatives, leading to stagnation in decision-making, delays in infrastructure projects, and inefficiencies in delivering welfare schemes to rural populations.
Despite repeated appeals, the government has yet to issue the notification for Panchayat elections, causing growing frustration among the people. Sharma urged the authorities to prioritize the Democratic Rights of the people of J&K and initiate the election process without further delay.
The absence of elected Panchayati representatives has led to serious governance and developmental setbacks in rural areas: He said the infrastructure and welfare projects have been delayed or stalled due to the lack of an elected local government. Moreover, without local representatives, grievances remain unaddressed, and key issues fail to reach higher authorities.
He said the Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as MGNREGA, PMAY, and others require elected representatives for effective execution, impacting thousands of villagers. The absence of elected leaders has led to excessive bureaucratic control over rural governance, reducing public participation and transparency in decision-making, he added.
“The prolonged delay in Panchayat elections is not just a constitutional failure but also a betrayal of the democratic aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Rural development has suffered, and people feel increasingly alienated from governance. The government must act immediately to restore grassroots democracy and ensure the smooth functioning of Panchayati Raj institutions,” he added.
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