Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Oct 5: Former minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla today said that Government must hold Block Development Council (BDC) elections after October 31, for ensuring maximum participation of people.
While interacting with many deputations concerning BDC elections at Rajouri and other areas of the district today, Bhalla asked the party workers to gear up for the BDC polls. He said it was unilateral decision of the BJP and no other parties were taken into confidence before going for the polls. This election has been imposed on the other political parties.
Bhalla was accompanied by DCC Rajouri president Shabir Ahmed Khan, Mohd Shafi Dar, Masood Choudhary, Yogesh Sharma, Latish Mahajan, Sajad Tariq, Shakeel Mir, Kushir Mir Janam, Susheel Sharma, Rajesh Gupta, Haji Bashir, Ajad Kataria, Manju Sharma, president Mahila Congress, Bal Krishan Sharma, Captain Harmeet Singh Sarpanch, Mohammad Akram Sarpanch, Abdul Ghafoor- Sarpanch, Gulabh Din- Sarpanch, Jagdish Raj Sarpanch, Shameen Akhtar- Sarpanch, Mohammad Riyaz- Sarpanch, Captain Azam and others.
Besides large number Panchs and Sarpanchs from various areas, Bhalla also interacted with elected Councillors with Chairman of Municipal Committees(MC) of Rajouri. Bhalla asked all of them to gear up for BDC elections and stated that the elections will ensure supervision and monitoring of various developmental schemes, administrative and technical guidance of Panchayats and periodical reviews of their work. It will help supervise plans relating to agriculture, rural development and animal husbandry, social forestry, education and public health, he added.
Terming the upcoming BDC polls as crucial for strengthening democracy at grass-roots level in Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla exhorted the cadre to gear up for the challenge and ensure election of public spirited and honest representatives to the basic democratic institutions. He said that participation of youth and women is imperative for ensuring their effective involvement in decision making at local levels.
Bhalla, however, expressed disappointment over administration’s decision to hold elections to the Block Development Councils without implementing the 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution in the State. Bhalla opined that Govt should have deferred the BDC polls till J&K gets the status of Union Territory. After October 31, all Central laws will simultaneously be applicable to the State, which will pave the way for holding elections to the BDCs on the pattern of the 73rd Amendment to ensure the maximum participation of the people.
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