Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for Panchayat and urban body elections by December, following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
Officials have confirmed to a Delhi based media outlet that security forces deployed during these earlier elections will remain in place to ensure peaceful conduct of the upcoming polls.
“Preparations are now underway for the Panchayat and urban body elections in J&K. For this purpose, security forces deployed to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Assembly elections will remain in J&K until the municipal and panchayat elections are completed,” said an official.
The terms of the municipal corporations in Jammu and Srinagar expired last November, making the elections long overdue. The government is prioritizing the completion of these elections to fulfill legal requirements and restore local governance.
Security forces, initially deployed for the Amarnath Yatra and later for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, will remain in J&K. “The decision to retain the security forces has been taken, keeping in view the high cost associated with to-and-fro movement and redeployment,” officials noted.
Once these polls are completed, Jammu and Kashmir will see the full restoration of democratic processes at all levels post the abrogation of Article 370. The Panchayat elections will be conducted by the J&K State Election Commission, rather than the Election Commission of India.
“The 2024 Panchayat poll will be held after fresh delimitation of ‘Halqas’ (Revenue Villages),” officials added, with almost 30,000 panches and sarpanches having completed their terms earlier this year.
