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J&K Guv NN Vohra announces Sept dates for long overdue panchayat polls

Elections apart, the governor praised security forces and noted that during this year there has been progressive increase in the attempts at infiltration across the LoC.

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Governor NN Vohra on Wednesday at the I-Day event in J&K
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After months of being postponed due to rising insurgency and militant attacks, Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra on Wednesday announced the schedule for the Panchayat and urban bodies election.

"Elections to urban local bodies are scheduled to take place during September-October and the phased Panchayat polls during October-December this year", Vohra said during his Independence Day address at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here.

Vohra said elections to urban local bodies and panchayats have been pending for long periods and prolonged delay in the establishment of democratically elected self-governing bodies at the grass roots level in the urban and rural areas has resulted in the loss of considerable funds, which would have become available if elections had been held.

Panchayat polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir after a two-year delay. Incidentally, Panchayat elections were last held in 2011 after a 33-year hiatus. At the time, more than 80 per cent people had defied terrorists and cast their votes in the panchayat elections. More than 33,000 panchayat representatives were elected across the state.

Meanwhile, the last municipal polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2005 for a term of five years. "Soon after assuming responsibility, the administration has taken the required steps to organise elections to panchayats and municipalities. Necessary amendments to the existing laws have already been made and speedy action is underway to gear-up the administrative and logistical arrangements for undertaking both these elections," he said.

Elections apart, the governor praised security forces and noted that during this year there has been progressive increase in the attempts at infiltration across the LoC. "Our Army and Police Forces carried out effective operations and neutralised perhaps the largest-ever number of terrorists in the past many years. Alongside though, we also suffered the loss of our own security forces personnel and civilians," he said.

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