ULB polls will be held in four phases from October 8 to 16 while Panchayat elections will be held in nine phases from November 17 to December 11.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has cancelled the leaves of all its employees and asked them to remain available at their respective places of posting till the conclusion of the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) and Panchayat polls.
ULB polls will be held in four phases from October 8 to 16 while Panchayat elections will be held in nine phases from November 17 to December 11.
Commissioner/ Secretary of General Administration Department (GAD) Hilal Ahmad has issued an order consequent to the notification of schedule of elections for ULB and Panchayats.
“Leave of any kind sanctioned to government employees (except leave sanctioned on medical grounds or for study purposes) shall stand cancelled forthwith. The concerned employees shall report to their respective places of posting immediately,” said the order.
“All the employees shall remain available at their respective headquarters/places of posting till the conclusion of the elections,” the order added.
Official figures reveal that the elections to two Municipal Corporations, six Municipal Councils and 72 Municipal Committees shall be held in four phases from October 8 to 16. Out of total 1145 Wards, 90 Wards have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 38 Wards for Scheduled Tribes which includes 31 and 13 wards reserved for SC and ST Women respectively. In addition, 322 wards have been reserved for Women.
Official figures reveal that there are 316 Blocks in 4490 Panchayat Halqas comprising of 35096 Panch Constituencies which will go to polls in nine phases from November 17 to December 11. Nearly 5812429 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Panchayat polls.
203 companies of the paramilitary forces have arrived in the valley to maintain peace and ensure free and fair elections scheduled to be held from next month. All the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies are being deployed for pre-election duties across the 10 districts of the valley.
CRPF forms the largest contingent with 132 companies followed by BSF with 32 companies, ITBP with 25 companies and SSB with 13 companies. All the CAPF companies posted for pre-poll duties, were part of the security for the Shri Amarnath Yatra that culminated on August 26.
More than seven Panchayat Ghars –six in South Kashmir district of Pulwama and Shopian and one in Central Kashmir district of Budgam-- have been torched since the election schedule was announced for Urban Local Bodies and Panchyat elections on Sunday.
Hizbul Mujahedeen has threatened to use acid against the candidates intending to participate in the polls. Last month, Hizbul chief operations commander Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo asked people to stay away from the polls or face consequences.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Representational image")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}