Jammu, Oct 30 (PTI) Panchayat members on Monday got together here and demanded local bodies polls before the expiry of their five-year term in January next year.
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a representative body of the panches and sarpanches, said any delay in holding the elections would be against the spirit of “democracy and constitution.”
“If the J&K government and state election commission are unable to hold these vital elections on time, then the term of existing PRIs and ULBs should be extended till the elections take place,” AJKPC president Anil Sharma told reporters here.
He said a special convention of elected members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, or PRIs, was held this morning and the participants unanimously resolved to oppose any delay in elections for the Urban Local Bodies and panchayats.
The term of municipal corporations and committees is ending in November while panchayats are scheduled to complete their term on January 9 next year.
The elections to ULBs and panchayats are likely to be delayed as office of chief electoral officer has sought handing over the charge of elections of ULBs to the State Election Commission.
The CEO has also sought fresh delimitation of wards to sort out discrepancies in the number of electorates.
Sharma said it is imperative that the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the election authority take appropriate steps so that elections are not delayed.
“Any delay in holding ULB and Panchayat polls would be unconstitutional in the light of 73rd and 74th amendments of the constitution of India. The people should not be deprived of their democratic right to choose their elected members,” he said.
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