Decks cleared for DDC chairperson elections in J&K
Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Ramban and Shopian reserved for women, Poonch for ST woman
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission on Monday overruled all objections and representations filed against its draft reservation order for offices of District Development Council last week, clearing the decks for elections to DDC chairpersons in the Union Territory.
“It was found that none of the objections/representations so received had any merit. No infirmity, leave alone irregularity was brought out in the draft notification for reservation dated 25 January 2021,” State Election Commissioner K K Sharma said in an order issued here.
On January 25, the SEC notified draft reservation of offices for chairpersons of DDCs in all the 20 districts, proposing 10 councils for open category, six for women including one for Scheduled Tribe women and two each for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes.
The maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections were held in November-December last year.
As per the draft reservation notification, the seats reserved for women include Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Ramban and Shopian besides Poonch for scheduled tribe woman. Jammu and Udhampur districts have been reserved for scheduled castes and Anantnag and Rajouri for scheduled tribes.
The rest of the 10 posts of chairpersons of the DDCs have been kept for open category candidates. They included Bandipora, Budgam, Doda, Kathua, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Reasi, Samba and Srinagar.
“The election authority, therefore, in terms of the provisions of the J&K DDC (reservation of offices of chairpersons) rules, 2021, and subject to outcome of any writ petition pending before the high court, hereby reserves/allots the seats of chairpersons of DDCs for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women in the districts of the UT…,” the order said.
With this, the decks were cleared for the DDC chairperson elections by or before February 20.
