Panchayat polls in J&K soon

  A decision to this effect was taken here at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the CM. Confirming the holding of Panchyat polls immediately after the meeting Omar wrote on his twitter, “Cabinet clears Panchayat Elections for 3-tier Panchayat structure in the state.” Law minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said the Panchayat polls would be held on non-party basis. “The election process would be completed by the end of May,” he added.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference, has, meanwhile, given a call for the boycott of these polls. But, political pundits in the State say that the CM was under compulsion to hold the polls as it was denying the State access to vital central funds for rural development projects. “The early establishment of elected Panchayati institutions will enable speedy  implementation of development works and their effective monitoring at the ground level,” a government spokesman said.
The last elections were held in 2001.