JAMMU, Nov 6: Urban local body and panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir are poised for potential delays as the administration contemplates revisions to municipal acts, rules, and a delimitation exercise to rectify uneven distribution of electors, according to officials on Sunday.
The Union Territory’s administration is considering a delimitation exercise for municipal wards and panchayat segments, similar to the delimitation exercise conducted by the Election Commission for assembly and parliamentary seats, as per anonymous sources. The housing and urban development department is actively pursuing a communication from the office of the chief electoral officer, which includes a recommendation to transfer the authority for conducting municipal electoral processes to the State Election Commission (SEC) in compliance with constitutional provisions.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the chief electoral officer (CEO) holds the authority to conduct urban local body (ULB) elections, in addition to Lok Sabha and assembly polls. In contrast, the SEC, led by a state election commissioner, is responsible for overseeing elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani had previously urged the Lieutenant Governor to conduct ULB elections under the SEC, in accordance with the 74th amendment of the Constitution. He argued that the constitutional mandate must be observed to ensure fair elections.
The CEO’s office has pointed out that the appointment of a full-time state election commissioner necessitates transferring the authority for municipal electoral processes from the CEO to the SEC, as per the constitutional provisions.
The terms of most municipalities, including the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), are set to expire this month, with panchayat terms concluding on January 9 next year. The SMC’s term ended on November 5, and the JMC’s will conclude on November 14.
The CEO’s office, in its letter, referred to disparities in the electoral base of different wards and suggested that a fresh delimitation exercise is needed to address these discrepancies.
The rural development department is also considering demands for the rationalization of electorates in panchayat segments, as advocated by the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC).
The CEO’s office highlighted suggestions and objections related to the publication of updated electoral rolls and draft seat reservations in municipal bodies for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and women. It mentioned the demand for reservations for other backward classes (OBCs) in compliance with constitutional provisions.
Elections to urban local bodies and panchayats are likely to be held next year, once the ongoing process is completed.
The political parties, including the Congress, the National Conference, and the PDP, have raised concerns over the delay in holding elections to assembly and grassroots institutions in Jammu and Kashmir and criticized the BJP government at the Centre for the postponement. The last assembly elections in the region were conducted in 2014.
