Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: A Private Members’ Bill jointly moved by NC MLC Dr Shehnaz Ganai and Ghulam Nabi Monga from Congress to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act- 1989 was defeated in the Legislative Council today.
While justifying his point, Monga said that indirect election of the Sarpanches would encourage horse trading and weaken the Panchayati Raj Institutions. He said this practice would encourage corruption. There was strong resentment among the people against this move of the Government.
Earlier, Ali Mohammad Dar from NC, Sham Lal Bhagat from Surinder Mohan Ambardar from BJP and Pardeep Sharma from BJP favoured the Bill, while as GL Raina opposed.
Despite elaborate reply by the Minister for RDD and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Haq Khan, citing examples from Maharaja’s time to the regime of Sheikh Mohd Abdullah, Mir Qasim and previous Omar Government, Monga pressed for voting.
The Minister maintained that not even single incident of horse treading has ever reported in the past many decades. He said Legislators elect Leader/ Chief Ministers and what is harm if elected Panches elect Sarpanch. This is pure democratic exercise. In many cases directly elected Sarpanches were not caring for the Panches but now when they will have their own way, the Panches will have the right to undo decision.
However, the member pressed for introducing the Bill which was defeated with the voice vote on the floor of the House. Surprisingly, the BJP members who earlier supported, voted against the Bill.
Meanwhile, NC Member Qaiser Jamsheed Lone moved a “Bill to amend the J&K Legal Services Act, 1997” (LC Private Members’ Bill No 12 of 2018).
After satisfactory reply by the Minister of RDD and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Haq Khan the member withdrew the Bill.
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