Jammu & Kashmir: Administrative Council Approves To Conduct Elections On Vacant Sarpanch, Panch Constituencies

Filling of the vacant constitutional posts will ensure devolution of powers and proper grass-root planning in the 3rd-tier of the Local Self Government. It will ensure that the non-functional Panchayats become functional.

Representative Image (Photo by Xavier GALIANA / AFP)

The Administrative Council (AC) under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Wednesday approved the proposal of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to issue a notification for conducting elections for the vacant Sarpanch/Panch constituencies. The detailed schedule will be finalised by the election authority. Filling of the vacant constitutional posts will ensure devolution of powers and proper grass-root planning in the 3rd-tier of the Local Self Government. It will ensure that the non-functional Panchayats become functional. Earlier, general elections to 39,521 Sarpanch, Panch constituencies in 4,483 Halqa Panchayats were conducted in 2018, of which 13,257 positions are vacant due to resignation, removal, election of Sarpanch as BDC Chairpersons, death, and non-availability of candidates. Of these, 1,089 vacancies pertain to the office of Sarpanch, whereas 12,168 are Panch vacancies. Pertinently, the elections to the vacancies notified earlier were postponed due to security concerns and the onset of COVID-19. Elections have not been held in the union territory in past two years after since the elected government collapsed, with the poll body citing security concerns. The polls were speculated to be held in April-May along with national elections however the poll body junked it citing security reasons. The elections for the panch and Sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir were held in November 2018. The Jammu and Kashmir administration held Panchayat elections two years ago after delaying it for more than two years. The polls had witnessed 74 per cent voter turnout. 22,214 Panches and 3,459 Sarpanches were elected while seats for 11639 Panch and 1,011 Sarpanch were left vacant in Jammu and Kashmir.