J&K Panchayat Polls Soon? Election Commission Begins Process For Electoral Roll Printing

Last Updated:November 05, 2024, 10:19 IST

Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha had last week said that the administration is committed to holding the Panchayat polls as soon as possible with reservation in Panchayats for backward classes as per the State Re-Organisation Act.

CNN-News18 had also reported on October 22 that the Union Territory is gearing up for Panchayat elections in March 2025, following the completion of delimitation. (PTI)

Jammu and Kashmir has set the ball rolling for the much-anticipated Panchayat polls and urban local body elections in the Union Territory, which are expected to be held within the next few months.

The State Election Commission (SEC) has initiated the process to print the photo electoral roll and voter slips for both set of polls, as per a document accessed by CNN-News18. “There are 67,67,757 number of electors in the Panchayat Electoral Rolls and 19,25,543 number of electors in the Municipal electoral Rolls in J&K UT as on date. The number of electors is likely to increase after undertaking revision of electoral rolls…the work of digital printing of photo electoral roll/Voter Slips has to be completed within the given timeframe," the SEC document has mentioned.

Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha had last week said that the administration is committed to holding the Panchayat polls as soon as possible with reservation in Panchayats for backward classes as per the State Re-Organisation Act. CNN-News18 had also reported on October 22 that the Union Territory is gearing up for Panchayat elections in March 2025, following the completion of delimitation, like the process that took place before the assembly polls this year.

With the term of the previous panchayats ending in 2023, almost over a year ago, the upcoming elections are expected to reshape the grassroots governance and politics in the region, marking a significant step in J&K’s evolving political landscape after the abrogation of Article 370.

The UT has a total of 4,292 panchayats which include 2,182 in Kashmir and 2,110 in Jammu valley. Also, the terms of office of the municipal corporations in both Jammu and Srinagar expired last November.

After the conduct of Panchayat and urban body polls, all democratic processes, including those at the grassroots level, will be completed in J&K post abrogation of Article 370.

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