J&K Panchayat Conference demands appointment of state election commissioner for holding panchayat, municipal elections
Voters stand in a queue to cast their vote during the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, at Kakapora, in Pulwama district, on September 18, 2024 | PTI
The Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference on Monday called for the urgent appointment of a new State Election Commissioner. It said the long-delayed Panchayat and Municipal elections cannot be held without this key official.
Speaking at a press conference in Jammu, the Conference president, Anil Sharma, said the post has been vacant for too long. He added that this delay has stopped the democratic process at the grassroots level.
“The State Election Commission is the backbone of local democracy,” Sharma said. “Leaving it vacant shows the government is not serious about strengthening democratic bodies like Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies.”
He criticised the silence of both ruling and opposition legislators, saying that none of the 89 MLAs have spoken up about the issue. “It’s shocking. People came out in large numbers to vote in the last local body elections, but lawmakers are now ignoring the need to bring back grassroots democracy,” he said.
Sharma said the absence of a commissioner has also blocked preparations for long-overdue elections to Panchayats, municipal corporations, and committees. “People voted with hope for better local governance, but their trust in democratic institutions is now weakening,” he said.
Referring to an amendment made two years ago to the Municipal Act, Sharma pointed out that the Urban Local Body elections cannot be held without a proper State Election Commission. “This is not just a delay—it’s a serious setback to democracy,” he said.
He urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to immediately set up a panel to appoint a new commissioner. He also appealed to the media to raise the issue and hold lawmakers accountable.
“The government must act now to protect the democratic rights of the people,” Sharma said. He warned that any further delay in reviving local institutions would send a “dangerous signal” about the government’s commitment to grassroots democracy.
India