Welcoming the decision of the State Administration to conduct elections to the Block Development Councils (2nd Tier of Panchayati Raj) in the state Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party has said that these will lead to strengthening the grassroots level democracy in the state which had been a victim of dynastic rule mind-set of the ruling parties so far. The elections were held in 2011 also, necessary amendments were also made to the Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989, to incorporate provisions of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India, but the entire exercise was a sham because the will to devolve power to the grassroots level workers was missing, accused Brig Gupta.
However, the present government under the President’s Rule headed by Honourable Satya Pal Malik and guided by the Central government is determined to ensure that the Panchayati Raj System is firmly rooted so that the governments in future cannot use their discretion to thwart their successful functioning, stated Brig Gupta. Never in the past elections were held beyond the Panchayat level though the 1989 Act promulgated three tier system comprising Halqa Panchayat, Block Development Council and District Planning and Development Board corresponding to Gram Panchayat, Intermediate Panchayat and District Panchayat as included in 73rd Amendment, asserted Brig Gupta. The present administration has displayed the sincerity in promoting the Panchayati Raj Institutions by announcing the conduct of elections to the Block Development Councils.
Appealing to those who are objecting to holding of elections as per the act of 1989 and not the 73rd Amendment Brig Gupta clarified, “After the reorganisation of the State on 31 October, as per Article 243L of the 73rd Amendment which has been included in the Part IX of the Constitution, the provisions of Part IX shall apply to all Union Territories.” Moreover, the provisions of 73rd Amendment have been implemented by providing reservations for the SC/ST and women since 1989 Act catered for reservations only for women and that too up to election of Panches only.
In any case, after, 31 October, once the JKUT is formed, necessary amendments to the 1989 Act will be done to ensure in Toto compliance of the 73rd Amendment as incorporated in Part IX of the Constitution. Brig Gupta appealed to all those who are genuinely interested in ushering truePanchayati Raj System in Jammu & Kashmir and thereby strengthen the democratic institutions to wholeheartedly participate in the elections and strengthen the hands of the government which can then fulfil its promise of devolution of power to the grassroots level workers. “Those people trying to scuttle the process with extraneous and superficial issues need to be isolated because they are not the well- wishers of the common men but self-centred power brokers,” reiterated Brig Gupta.
