J&K: Panchayat elections likely in January next year

Jammu: After the successful and peaceful conduct of the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections, the Jammu and Kashmir administration is again in action mode as the Panchayat elections are expected in Jammu and Kashmir in January next year.

Official sources said that the Panchayat elections are expected to be announced in January 2025.

“The State Election Commission (SEC) has issued instructions to all the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts, who are also the District Election Panchayat Officers (DEPOs) to conduct annual revision of the existing Panchayat voter lists and fresh delimitation of ‘Halqas’ (Revenue Villages),” official sources said.

They stated that annual revision of the existing panchayat voter lists to follow the special revision camps.

The tenure of over 28,000 Panchayat members ended on January 9 this year in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir are not conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) but by the J&K State Election Commission.

Elections for the Panchayats and Urban local bodies were last held in November and December 2018.

“After the conduct of Panchayat and Urban Body Polls, all democratic processes, including the very grassroots level, will be completed in Jammu and Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370,” they said.

“After the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were conducted peacefully, preparations are in progress to conduct the Panchayat elections,” official sources said.

The eligible voters attaining the age of 18 years or above can get their names included in the voter list.

“The revision is being done under Section 38 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989 while six special camps will be organized for the registration process,” Official sources said.

An official said that the first camp will be held on November 16 to be followed on November 17, 23, 24, 30 and December 1.

“All Panchayat Election Booth Officers will remain present at their respective polling stations with required documents for voters’ claims and objections while the Block Level Officers (BLOs) will supervise the camps,” official sources said.

“The District Deputy Commissioners have been asked to deploy BDOs for smooth conduct and monitoring of the process while the BDOs will receive all claims and objections and comprehensive information will be submitted to the office of the respective District Commissioners,” they said.

The final Panchayat voter lists are likely to be published on January 6, 2025 following which elections are expected to be announced, sources said.

A total of 27,281 Panches (Panchayat members) and Sarpanches (village heads) were elected in the 2018 elections.