The Jammu and Kashmir administration is actively preparing for the upcoming panchayat and urban local bodies (ULB) elections, aiming to hold them at the earliest possible date. The move comes as the terms of all local elected bodies have expired, leaving the region without elected representatives at the grassroots and municipal levels.
The tenure of municipalities concluded in October-November 2023, followed by panchayats and block development councils on January 9, 2024. Similarly, the term for district development councils ended on February 24, 2024, necessitating fresh elections to restore democratic governance.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, elections to these local bodies were delayed due to several significant factors, including the recently concluded delimitation exercise and the process of reserving wards for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). These administrative and legislative processes were essential prerequisites for conducting fair and inclusive elections.
During a session in the legislative assembly, the minister in charge of elections, Javed Ahmad Dar, informed the house that the State Election Commission is undertaking all necessary arrangements for the immediate conduct of panchayat and ULB polls. He stated that the superintendence, direction, and control over the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections are vested with the State Election Commission as per the relevant acts, including the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Acts of 2000.
Minister Dar also confirmed that the report submitted by the dedicated Backward Classes Commission is currently under examination by the competent authority. Further steps for the conduct of Panchayat and ULB elections will be initiated following the approval and notification of this report. This process is crucial for ensuring representation for all sections of society.
The delimitation process for 77 urban local bodies, comprising municipal corporations, councils, and committees, commenced in December 2023 as per instructions from the Housing and Urban Development Department. While the delimitation has been finalized for 72 ULBs, the process is still ongoing for the remaining five. This geographical redrawing of wards is a fundamental step before elections can be announced.
Furthermore, the government has frozen the boundaries of districts, tehsils, municipalities, towns, revenue villages, and other administrative units across Jammu and Kashmir. This freeze, notified by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department on February 27 last year, will remain in effect from July 1, 2025, until the completion of the 2021 Census. This measure ensures stability in administrative units during the election preparation period.
The reservation and rotation of municipal wards will be managed by the State Election Commission. However, this process can only commence after the report of the OBC commission receives official approval and is notified. Following the delimitation, reservations will be implemented in accordance with government directives.
In parallel, the procurement of essential election materials is underway. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission for the supply of 7,000 multipost electronic voting machines, which will be utilized for the ULB elections. The acquisition of necessary equipment is a critical component of election readiness.
Regarding panchayat elections, it was noted that the delimitation of panchayat halqas was conducted before the 2018 polls based on the 2011 Census. As no fresh census has been undertaken since then, no fresh delimitation is currently proposed for panchayat constituencies. Similar to municipal elections, the reservation and rotation for panchayat constituencies will be initiated only after the OBC commission’s report is approved and notified.
The electoral rolls have been revised with January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date, and the process of updating the panchayat rolls is ongoing to ensure accuracy and completeness. Tenders for the procurement of election material for both panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections have been finalized. Approximately 30,000 ballot boxes have already been supplied to various districts, indicating tangible progress in election preparations.
The Chenab Times News Desk