J&K State Poll Body Headless for Over a Month; No Action Taken Yet: AJKPC
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a prominent registered body working for strengthening grassroots level democracy in J&K, has strongly condemned the silence adopted by political parties, the Lieutenant Governor, and the legislators over the headless Poll Panel of Jammu and Kashmir.
AJKPC president , Anil Sharma criticised the elected representatives of all political parties, saying that their silence shows they are not serious about Panchayati Raj institutions. “If they really cared about grassroots democracy and the rights of people at the village level, at least one leader would have raised this issue with the government, the LG, or even in the media,” he said during a press Conference.
He pointed out that after the term of B R Sharma, former Chief Secretary of J&K, ended as the State Election Commissioner a month ago and not a single political party or public figure has shown concern or demanded immediate appointment of a new poll chief. According to Sharma, this reflects a worrying trend of neglect toward democratic processes.
Sharma alleged that MLAs across party lines are not interested in holding Panchayat or Urban Local Body elections, and that is the main reason behind their complete silence. “On other issues, even those not connected to J&K or of national importance, they make loud statements. But when it comes to something as crucial as local elections, they choose to remain quiet,” he added.
He reminded that under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, only the State Election Commission has the legal authority to conduct elections for Panchayats and urban local bodies. “These elections have already been overdue for more than 18 months now, and still the government is taking no action to address it,” he said.
Sharma also appealed to the bureaucrats working closely with the Raj Bhavan to uphold the Constitution and values of democracy. “Officers are there to serve the people and uphold public interest, not to follow the will of one individual. Individuals come and go, but institutions are permanent. It is their duty to protect these institutions,” he said.
He added that AJKPC is planning to launch a full campaign across Jammu and Kashmir to demand early Panchayat elections after the completion of the holy Shri Amarnath Yatra and Independence Day(15 Aug ). The AJKPC has already sent a detailed letter to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister, requesting that the post of State Election Commissioner be filled without any further delay.