SRINAGAR: Elections for panchayats, urban local bodies, and the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are anticipated to take place after the upcoming general elections, scheduled in a few months this year, a report in The Indian Express reported.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the traditional grassroots-level elected representatives in rural areas, comprising 4,892 village panchayats with a five-year term, concluded on Tuesday. The governance structure introduced in 2020, District Development Councils elected directly by the people, remains in place.
The term of urban local bodies, including two municipal corporations, 19 municipal councils, and 57 municipal committees, concluded on November 14, 2023, following elections held on party symbols after a 13-year hiatus.
Government sources, as per a report in The Indian Express suggest that elections for urban local bodies and panchayats are unlikely before the Lok Sabha elections. Despite an amendment to the J&K Panchayati Raj Act on December 28, 2023, allowing OBC reservation, constitutional issues have delayed the polls. The recently passed Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment Bill), 2023, now enables OBC reservation in J&K elections.
However, challenges hindering immediate local body and panchayat elections include the identification of reserved municipal constituencies and the transfer of the mandate for municipal electoral processes from the Chief Electoral Officer to the State Election Commission, as per Constitutional provisions.
Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly need not coincide with the Lok Sabha polls, as indicated by the Supreme Court deadline of September 2024, set during its judgment on the Constitutional validity of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. The last Assembly elections in J&K occurred in 2014.
Sources of The Indian Express highlight logistical and security considerations, suggesting the Election Commission will assess these during its visit to J&K as part of the Lok Sabha polls review. The special summary revision of electoral rolls for Panchayat elections, announced by State Election Commissioner B R Sharma, will take place from January 15 to February 5, with the final rolls published on February 26.
The term of chairpersons of 316 block development councils (BDCs), elected in October 2019 alongside the panchayats, has also concluded. Members of district development councils, the only elected representatives connecting the J&K government and the people, cannot replace panchayat members, councillors, or MLAs in their functions.
