Fill vacancy of J&K election commissioner, Panchayat body tells govt

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference has urged the government to fill vacant post of Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commissioner

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), an umbrella organisation of sarpanches and panches, on Tuesday urged the Union home minister Amit Shah and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha to immediately fill vacant post of Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commissioner (SEC). The last election commissioner KK Sharma’s term ended in February this year.

The delimitation of panchayat halqas should be done in a fair and transparent manner and the panchayat polls be held only after this this exercise: AJKPC president Anil Sharma (HT File Photo)

Addressing media persons here, AJKPC president Anil Sharma said that the post of election commissioner is lying vacant since February 1 and the government has not bothered to fill this important constitutional post. “As per article 243(K) of the constitution of India, the superintendence, direction, control of the preparation of electoral rolls, the conduct of all elections to the panchayats shall be vested in a state election commissioner to be appointed by the Governor but we don’t have one since February,” he said.

Sharma informed that the process of holding Panchayat elections has to be done by state election commissioner. The five year term of incumbent Panchayats shall cease on January 9 next year. Sharma also put forth the demand of his organisation for holding delimitation of panchayat halqas so that no discrimination was meted out to any of the panchayat and its population. While demanding increase and rationalisation of panchayats, Sharma observed that there are several panchayats in J&K wherein the size of population and voters is above 4,000 while some panchayats have less than 2,000 voters and a lesser population as well.

“To strike a balance and to do justice with all, the delimitation of panchayat halqas should be done in a fair and transparent manner and the panchayat elections be held only after the completion of this exercise,” he said. “The elections without delimitation would not do justice thus it won’t be acceptable to anyone. Similarly, the delimitation of urban local bodies should also be done” he said. He assured all possible assistance of the AJKPC to the government in conducing the exercise.