As the tenure of the elected 28,000 representatives came to an end on Tuesday, there is uncertainty over fresh Panchayat elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly 28,000 representatives in Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) completed their five-year tenure on Tuesday.
As per official data, the tenure of the 4892 Panchayats across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir ended on Tuesday as these Panchayats completed their five-year term.
With the completion of the tenure of the Panchayats, the functioning of the 310 BDCs ceased to exist because as per the Panchayati Raj Act term of BDCs will be a co-terminus with Panchayats. 280 District Development Council (DDC) members including chairpersons and vice chairpersons will continue to function as only elected representatives in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The DDCs are the third tier of the Panchayati Raj system in Jammu and Kashmir, and the term of the DDCs will end in 2026.
Administrators to take control of the functioning of Panchayats
As the term of all BDCs and Panchayats ended on Tuesday, the government will soon appoint administrators to monitor the functioning of these institutions at the grassroots.
As per reports, these administrators will initially be given powers for six months and if elections are not held by then, the powers can be extended till the conduct of elections.
Apart from Panchayats, the government has already appointed administrators for the functioning of all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the Union Territory.
The responsibility of the work of BDC members can be handed over to the Panchayat Secretary of BDO and Sarpanch. It is also possible that the government may appoint administrators for the Panchayats. A decision on this can be taken in the next two to three days.
Uncertainty over Panchayat elections
In view of the ongoing exercises of voter revision, identification of Wards for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and fresh delimitation there is uncertainty over the conduct of Panchayat elections in J&K.
The last Panchayat elections were held at the end of 2018. There are a total of 4892 panchayats in the Union Territory. A total of 27281 Panchs and 4892 Sarpanches were selected for this. The next election will be held only after the delimitation process is completed.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference Anil Sharma demanded that Panchayat elections be held immediately without any delay.
"If this cannot be done, then the tenure of the Panchayat representatives should be extended until the next elections are held", he said.
"Panchayat members are ready to work without honorarium. Or the government should assign the job of BDC member to the BDO and the job of Sarpanch to the Panchayat Secretary. Because the fund of Rs 23 lakh that Panchayats receive every year will be frozen", he said.
