J&K sarpanchs up in arms, want re-poll as state delegates panchayat work to govt employees

Govt cites lack for quorum in 390 panchayats after 2018 polls for its decision. Sarpanchs are threatening to approach J&K High Court.

Representational image | ANI Photo

Srinagar: Barely nine months after panchayat elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir, elected members in the Valley are demanding another round of polls, opposing a decision by the state to appoint government employees as administrators to look after panchayat affairs.

The elected members, mostly affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are also planning to file a petition in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to oppose the state administration’s decision.

Their anger stems from an order issued by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, on 20 June, appointing government employees from the social welfare, agriculture, revenue, education, handloom, forest and horticulture departments to look after work usually handled by elected sarpanchs and panchs.

The administration has cited the lack of quorum in 390 panchayat bodies across the state, of which 368 are in the Kashmir division, for its decision.

Each panchayat in the Valley has a sarpanch and can have a maximum of 10 panchs. The quorum for a panchayat to function is just two members — the sarpanch and a panch.

There has been a lack of panchayat members, however, as not enough people in the Valley were willing to fight the elections of October 2018 either due to militant threats or the call given by main political parties — the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party — to boycott them.

As a result, as many as 368 panchayats do not have the quorum to function and have not been notified by the administration.

‘I will be beaten up in my tehsil’: Elected members furious

The administration’s decision to delegate the panchayat work to government employees has triggered angry reactions from the elected members with some threatening to approach the J&K High Court. Many say government employees cannot replace elected representatives.

“I have a general store in Jammu but I came to Kashmir to fight the elections risking my life and leaving my family behind. This is what we get in response,” said Mahesh Dhar, a sarpanch from Chakoora division in south Kashmir. “Do we have the right to work for our people or do we have to be subservient to government employees?”

Ghulam Mohammad Mir, the sarpanch in south Kashmir’s Lidder Halqa, said the party (BJP) had millions to hold functions but not a single rupee for the people of Kashmir. “I want to put this on record, I will soon be beaten up by the people in my tehsil, and the people there should not even be blamed,” Mir said. “The government is taking decisions without even consulting us.”

Both Mir and Dhar are affiliated to the BJP and were present at a sarpanch convention held at the Srinagar BJP office Thursday. Manoj Pandit is among the sarpanchs to be notified but he has decided to stand with the elected members whose elections have not been notified by the administration.

“Forget notification, we have not been issued an ID card. Many are still living in Srinagar hotels and haven’t gone back home fearing militant reprisals,” said Pandit, who is also affiliated to the BJP. “We were promised security and even that wasn’t given. Salaries are yet to come. I want to ask what is the administration doing?”

Sajid Raina, a sarpanch from Pulwama, the region with the most incomplete panchayats, said, “What options do we have besides approaching the court? We demand re-elections be held in the Valley or at least make the mandate of the government employees appointed as administrators clear. They should report to us till the time re-elections are held.”

Ashok Kaul, general secretary of the state BJP who handles the party’s panchayat affairs, said he was looking into the matter. “Due to the boycott call and also due to fear of militants a lot of quorums remained incomplete,” Kaul told ThePrint. “Now after parliamentary elections, fear of militants has subsided. We are looking at the option of re-elections as well.”