Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 6: In a step forward towards holding the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections in Jammu and Kashmir, more than three years after they completed their five years term in March 2010, the Urban Development and Local Bodies Ministry has formally written to the Government for holding the much awaited and pending elections but maintained that it was the Cabinet, which had to take a final call on timing of the polls.
On its part, the Urban Development and Local Bodies Ministry and the Election Department have made almost all preparations for holding the elections anytime now. The Election Department has updated the electoral rolls.
Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies Rigzin Jora told the Excelsior that his Ministry was fully prepared for holding elections to Municipalities anytime from now onwards and it was the Government (the Cabinet), which has to take final call on when to go for the polls.
“We are fully prepared (for the election). We have prepared and submitted memo to the Cabinet for holding elections to the Urban Local Bodies. On our part, we can make arrangements for the elections but the final call vested with the Cabinet, which would take a decision when it meets. We have done our job,’’ Mr Jora said.
He added that his Ministry’s task was to make all preparations for holding the elections, which, he said, has been done. “Our task is complete. We are in a position to hold elections to Urban Local Bodies anytime after May 15. The ball is now in the Cabinet’s court,’’ he asserted.
Official sources said the Urban Development and Local Bodies Department has drafted the Cabinet memo and sent it for discussion of the Cabinet in the next meeting. The Department, as already reported, has proposed that elections can be held to the Municipalities any time after May 15 as all necessary arrangements for the polls have been completed.
They said the Election Department has also completed its prime task of updating the electoral rolls for Municipal bodies. Recently, the Department had undertaken an extensive exercise for updating the electoral rolls of the voters falling under the Municipalities including two Municipal Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar.
Sources said some minor hiccups if found in holding the elections can be rectified even when the election process had been set into motion.
However, they added, that the major obstacle, which could delay the process of holding the elections could be the tourist season, which has set off in the Kashmir Valley. Though The Cabinet would decide on holding the elections, the tourist season in the Valley and upcoming Amarnath yatra would be major considerations before it while taking a call on the poll timings.
While the tourist season has already started in the Valley, the Amarnath yatra of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir mountains is due to start on June 28 and last till August 21. Arrangements for the yatra including security are made well in advance. The tourist season in Kashmir has already suffered due to series of protests in February and March post Afzal Guru execution, sources pointed out.
PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz had recently stood by his demand for holding the ULB elections before June 30.
The ULB elections were last held in January 2005. The Municipalities were constituted in May 2005 and they had completed their five years term in March 2010. Though the fresh elections to the ULBs were due in January-February 2010, the Government took no steps to hold them even after the lapse of more than three year.
The Centre Government had during the last year imposed a cut of 10 per cent for Urban Development grants to Jammu and Kashmir for not initiating the urban reforms, which included the holding of elections to the ULBs. J&K had lost Rs 46 crore due to the cut imposed by the Centre.
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