Political assassinations and separatists boycott calls notwithstanding, Mehbooba Mufti led Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to go ahead with the Panchayat polls in the restive state next month.
Political assassinations and separatists boycott calls notwithstanding, Mehbooba Mufti led Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to go ahead with the Panchayat polls in the restive state next month.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq said all arrangements are being made to ensure smooth Panchayat polls next month.
“The basic purpose of holding Panchayat elections is to bring democracy at the doorstep of the people and empower people by giving them the authority to take decision themselves with regard to the development of their villages”, said Haq.
This follows the killing of a 26-year-old BJP worker by suspected militants in the apple rich town of Sopore on Wednesday evening. BJP said Arif Ahmad Sofi was their active worker, the claim denied by his parents.
Like 2011, Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to hold the Panchayat polls on non party basis to ensure large participation and avoid any bad blood between the political parties.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL)of separatists have already called upon the people to stay away from the Panchayat polls saying India is using the election to negate Kashmiris demand for “self-determination and freedom”.
“People of the state should actively participate in the elections and elect the honest persons for their panchayats so that they serve the people better and help in strengthening the institutions at the grassroots level”, said Haq.
Seen as one of the biggest achievement of the Omar Abdullah government, the Panchayat elections were last held in 2011 after 33 years hiatus in Jammu and Kashmir. More than 80 percent people had defied militants and cast their votes in the panchayat elections in 2011.
More than 33000 panchayat representatives were elected in the polls across the state in 2011.The panchayat elections were due last year but due to the post-Burhan Wani killing unrest these were postponed indefinitely
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