Jammu: In a significant development, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Sunday announced to conduct the much awaited civic body elections in the Union Territory to give grassroots democracy to the people.
The LG, without fixing a definite time frame for conducting the polls, said that elections to local bodies will be conducted for establishing a 3-tier governance structure.
In RepublJ&K LG Manoj Sinha unfurls tricolor at Republic Day parade in Jammu (ETV Bharat) The J&K LG made the statement in his address on the occasion of 76th Republic Day in Jammu where he unfurled the tricolor and took salute from the march past at the Maulana Azad Stadium. The term of the Panchayats in J&K ended in November, 2023 even as the five-year term of the District Development Boards ends in a year from now.
In his Republic Day address, the LG referred to the successful conduct of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year, saying the exercise “underscores positive change, and this achievement is credited to all citizens who participated in this democratic exercise, demonstrating their faith in democratic values and the future of Jammu and Kashmir”.
The LG said that after J&K assembly elections, people were looking to the government “with renewed expectations, aspiring for an environment that promoted meaningful employment”.
“People now look to the government with renewed expectations, aspiring for an environment that promotes meaningful employment, sustainable development, social inclusivity, and robust economic growth, paving the way for an enhanced quality of life,” he said.
The announcement about conducting local body elections in J&K is being closely watched even as the Election Commission has announced the conclusion of its electoral revision process, which had started in November 2024. As per the updated electoral rolls, there are more than seven million voters, with the addition of 3,41,072 new voters and the removal of 1,10,768. The electors include 35,66,475 men, 34,34,048 women, and 147 individuals identifying as third gender.
The local body elections are awaiting the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission's recommendations over determining the percentage of reservations for OBCs in local bodies in the backdrop of a bill over reservation passed by the Parliament last year.
Read more:
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- Jammu Kashmir Marks Republic Day With Historic Tricolour Unfurling After Six Years Of President’s Rule
