Srinagar

Elections for panchayats and urban bodies in Jammu and Kashmir are expected to take place before the end of the year. Officials indicate that following the successful Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, preparations for local elections are now underway, with a target completion date set for December.

To ensure a smooth electoral process, security forces deployed during the Assembly elections will remain in the region until the municipal and panchayat elections are finished. This decision aims to minimize the high costs associated with relocating forces and redeploying them within J&K.

The terms of the municipal corporations in Jammu and Srinagar expired last November, necessitating elections to be held either before or shortly after that date. The delay in holding these elections has made them a priority for the government. Security forces were initially stationed for the Amarnath Yatra and later for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

After the local elections, all democratic processes will be completed in J&K, following the abrogation of Article 370. The last Assembly elections occurred on September 16, 2018, where 27,281 panchayat members and village headmen were elected, although many positions remained vacant. The J&K state election commission, rather than the Election Commission of India, conducts these panchayat polls. The upcoming elections will follow a fresh delimitation of ‘Halqas’ (revenue villages) to ensure fair representation.