Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has extended the mandate of the Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission, hinting that Panchayat and urban local body elections may not be held this year.
The commission, tasked with recommending reservations for other backward classes (OBCs) in local bodies, has had its term extended until December 31, 2024, according to an order issued on October 16 by the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.
The commission, established on July 30, comprises Justice (Retd.) Janak Raj Kotwal, retired IAS officer Raj Kumar Baghat, and Prof. (Dr.) Mohinder Singh Bhadwal, former dean of SKUAST Jammu. Its role is to assess OBC representation in local bodies and recommend proportional reservations before the next general elections for these bodies.
The extension decreases the likelihood of local body elections being held this year. The elections, originally scheduled following the completion of Panchayat members' terms in January, are now expected to be delayed until early 2025, according to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official added that while preparations were in place, including the presence of security forces, the polls will likely be held after the commission completes its work. The Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir are conducted by the state election commission, not the Election Commission of India.
In the 2018 Panchayat elections, over 27,000 panches (village members) and sarpanches (village heads) were elected, though more than 12,000 seats remained vacant, leading to bypolls in 2020. Nearly 30,000 members completed their five-year terms in January 2024, and elections are expected to follow the delimitation of revenue villages, known as Halqas.
Last week, the State Election Commission directed district development commissioners to submit soft copies of the final Panchayat electoral rolls for 2024, preparing for the polls.
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