All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) today organised a 'Panchayat Samelan' programme in district Bandipore, which was attended by District Development Council (DDC) members, former BDC Chairpersons, Panchayat representatives and senior leaders of the organisation.
The programme was presided over by Anil Sharma, President, AJKPC, while Dr. Mustafa, DDC Member, Bandipore, attended the event as the Guest of Honour.
Addressing the gathering, AJKPC President Anil Sharma urged the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to conduct delimitation of Panchayat Halqas before holding Panchayat elections, stating that there exists a huge mismatch in population and geographical area among several Panchayats across the Union Territory.
In his address, Dr. Mustafa welcomed the AJKPC President to Kashmir and appreciated the consistent efforts of the organisation in strengthening both urban local bodies and rural local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. Other DDC members from Bandipore, including Ghulam Mohiuddin Rather, Nazia Begum, Farzil Shoaib, Bashir Ahmed Baba and Bazir Ahmed Rather, assured full support to AJKPC.
Mohammad Safi Khan, Ex Sarpanch Bandipore, thanked the participants for their overwhelming response and for the warm and grand welcome accorded to the AJKPC President in the district.
During the programme, former BDC Chairpersons Nazir Ahmed Rather, Gulshan Begum and Hari Begum also addressed the gathering and strongly advocated for amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, particularly with regard to the provisions related to the No Confidence Motion. They stated that this provision has increasingly become a tool of unnecessary pressure and harassment, hanging like a sword over elected BDC Chairpersons and Sarpanches, thereby hampering the smooth functioning of local self-government institutions.
Several senior AJKPC leaders also spoke on the occasion and reaffirmed their resolve to remain united under the banner of the organisation to safeguard the rights and dignity of elected representatives. They appealed to the elected MLAs to raise these genuine concerns before the government and stressed that Panchayat elections should be held on time, after the completion of the tenure of the District Development Councils, with elections for all three tiers conducted simultaneously.
Former Sarpanches and Panches, including Mohd Maqbool, Mehraj, Razia, Muzaffar, Anwar, Fiaz Ahmed, Basir Malik, Nazir Ahmed, Fatima Begum, and others also graced the occasion.
