Panchayat elections announced

Nine-phased voting on Nov 17, 20, 24, 27, 29, Dec 1, 4, 8, 11; MCC kicks in

SRINAGAR: Two years and two months after the expiration of term of last elected rural bodies, Jammu and Kashmir will go to elections to 4490 panchayat halqas starting from November 17, the first of the nine phases in which the polls will be conducted.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra today announced the schedule for conduct of Elections to the grassroots democracy, a day after the schedule of Municipal polls was announced. With today’s announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect. “The elections to 316 Blocks in 4490 Panchayat Halqas comprising of 35096 Panch Constituencies will be held from 17 November to 11 December in 9 phases,” Kabra said at a press conference here today. The last Panchayat elections in the State were held in 2011 after a gap of 10 years and the Panchayats completed their term in July 2016.

"There will be a ninephase poll for Panchayat elections which will be held on non-party basis, Kabra told reporters here adding counting of votes would take place on the same day or the very next day. Additional ballot boxes will be brought from the neighbouring states, he said.

As per the information with The News Now, as many as 25000 ballot boxes are being procured from Punjab. Kabra added there will be two kinds of ballot papers as sarpanches also have to be elected directly in these polls this time, and not through Panches, courtesy an amendment in the Panchayat Act affected by former Governor N N Vohra. Polling will be held on November 17, 20, 24, 27 and 29 and December 1, 4, 8 and 11, the CEO said. The poll hours would be between 8 AM to 2 PM, Kabra said adding the entire poll process would be completed by December 17. Kabra said the last date for filing nominations for the nine phases will be 30th October, 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th and 22nd November respectively.

He added the date of scrutiny of nominations will be 31 October, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 17th, 20th and 24th November respectively and the last date for withdrawal of nominations will be 2nd, 5th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 22nd and26th November. "Around 58 lakh electorate will be eligible to vote in the 35,096 panch constituencies. We expect a very good participation of the people in the polls, he said. The notification for the first phase will be issued on Oct 23. CEO said with today’s announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect and the same shall apply in all Panch constituencies going to polls as also for the candidates, the political parties and the Government. He said suitable number of Polling Stations have been notified for each Panch constituency of a Panchayat Halqa as determined by the District Panchayat Election Officer.

He said voter slips will be distributed to 5812429 voters in Urdu and English language to make the voters aware about their respective polling stations. The voter identity cards will be compulsory for casting votes, he said. He said General Observers shall be deployed to ensure free and fair elections. The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process, he said. He said a scheme has been devised to enable migrant Kashmiri Pandits to vote in Panchayat elections through Postal ballot. CEO said comprehensive instructions for effective monitoring of the election expenditure of the candidates have already been issued. He said for greater transparency and for ease of monitoring of Election Expenses, candidates will be provided with ‘Expenditure Register’ on the day of nomination.

He said Expenditure Observers are being appointed to keep close watch on election expenditure of the candidates. CEO said that expenditure limits have been fixed at Rs 20000 for Sarpanch and Rs 5000 for Panch. Kabra said all critical events will be videographed and concerned Deputy Commissioners will arrange sufficient number of video and digital cameras and camera teams for the purpose. On the schedule, he said it has been framed in such a way that places, which get snowfall early, have been kept in the first phase of the poll. On security for the polls, Kabra said: "One does not provide security per se to each person, it is the security environment which is to be provided. We have looked into this aspect and feel free and fair elections, in an atmosphere which is peaceful, would be possible".

Yesterday, the state's chief electoral officer announced a four-phase election to urban local bodies from October 8. It was speculated that the polls may be deferred in the state after two main political parties the NC and the PDP announced staying away from the polls until the Centre gave an assurance to protect Article 35A, against which a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court. Article 35A, incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, confers special status to the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, and bars people from outside the state from acquiring any immovable property in the state.