Governor NN Vohra on Saturday assented promulgation of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 empowering the State Chief Electoral Officer to determine and de-limit panchayats and conduct the Panchayat elections.
Panchayat elections are due since several years and we’re delayed on one pretext or the other by successive governments.
Governor Vohra, who has been repeatedly emphasising the importance of holding Panchayat elections for the establishment of the three-tiered framework of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), has approved urgent promulgation of this ordinance so that no time whatsoever is lost in commencing preparations for the conduct of the pending elections.
The Governor observed that the establishment of the PRI set up shall ensure effective participation of the people in the decision making process and enable them to oversee the implementation of developmental programmes.
The Governor, in discussions with the Chief Minister since summer 2016, has been pressing for the early conduct of elections to both the urban and rural self-governing bodies. The Panchayat elections are now envisaged to be held in winter 2017-18.
Considering the time-frame for the forthcoming elections the Governor has also consented to the issue of the J&K Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 to empower the State Chief Electoral Officer to determine and de-limit panchayats and to conduct the Panchayat elections.