New Delhi, Sept 12: Notwithstanding the boycott announced by the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party, the Centre is likely to go ahead with the Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections in Jammu and Kashmir as it feels that grassroots democracy must get precedence over any other consideration, officials said Wednesday.
The Central government is also of the opinion that the release of around Rs 4,300 crore meant for the development of rural and urban areas in Jammu and Kashmir will not be possible until there are elected representatives in Panchayat and urban local bodies.
“The central government feels that elections to the panchayats and urban local bodies must be held because strengthening of grassroots democracy is important as it takes care of local development issues like power, roads and water,” a senior government functionary said.
The two major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir – the NC and the PDP- have decided to boycott the polls saying that the Central government is yet to declare its stand on Article 35-A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order and accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens.
Article 35-A has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter is still under its consideration.
“Grassroots democracy must get precedence than any other considerations, including security,” the functionary said.
He also asserted that there were adequate number of security personnel in the state to provide protection to candidates.
The Panchayat polls to elect 4,130 sarpanches, 29,719 panches and 1,145 ward commissioners are expected to be held later next month.
The issue of releasing around Rs 3,000 crore meant for the Panchayats and Rs 1,300 crore meant for the ULB as awarded by the 14th Finance Commission to Jammu and Kashmir was also under consideration of the Central government.
If the elections are not held, the entire amount of the development fund cannot be released to the state, a Home Ministry official said.
Referring to the security issues, the official said adequate protection will be given to each candidate and the Jammu and Kashmir administration has enough security personnel at its disposal.
Around 24,000 paramilitary personnel, who were deployed during the Amarnath Yatra, have been asked to stay on in the state and they would be deployed for the Panchayat and ULB polls in addition to other available security personnel.
The election to the ULB were last held in 2005 and to Panchayats in 2011 after a long hiatus. There were a number of militant attacks on candidates before and after these polls.
The polls to the local bodies were supposed to be held in 2016 but could not be conducted due to the five-month-long unrest in the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 08 that year.
No change in poll schedule: CS
Srinagar, Sep 12: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday refuted media reports of the deferment of the Panchayat and urban local body (ULB) elections, saying there would no change in the poll schedule.
“There are multiple views going on, (but) we have decided and we are going on as per schedule. There will be no change in the dates, there will be no change in the schedule (for the polls),” Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said, while addressing a function at the SKICC here.
Some media reports in the morning said the polls were likely to be deferred in view of the boycott announced by the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Chief Secretary said the local body polls would be held in October and, a month later, the Panchayat polls would be held. “Three weeks from now we will have the urban body elections. In the first week of November, we will have Panchayat elections.”
