Panchayat by-polls to be held in Jammu and Kashmir from March 5

Panchayat by-elections for nearly 13,000 panchayat seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in March even as top politicians in the erstwhile state, including three former chief ministers, are in detention for over six months.

When the elections for panchayats were held in November-December 2018, close to 60% of the total seats in Kashmir had remained vacant due to lack of participation by the regional parties National Conference (NC) and PDP in the electoral process. The election was largely boycotted in Kashmir and over 12,000 panchayat seats are still lying vacant.

These vacant seats will be filled now in eight phase polls scheduled to be held from March 5 and end on March 20. “The model code of conduct has come into forces in Jammu and Kashmir,” J&K Chief Electoral Officer Shalinder Kumar said, while addressing a presser in Jammu.

The first notification for the process will be issued on February 15, he said and added that the process for filling 11,639 panch seats and 1,011 sarpanch seats will be completed by March 26.

“Ballot boxes would be used during these elections. Sufficient number of ballot boxes have been made available for the purpose,” Kumar said and added that the candidates elected during by-elections shall hold office for the remainder of the period of five years commencing from the date of constitution of Halqa Panchayat.

The by-election has been announced at a time when three former chief ministers - Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar, and Mehbooba Mufti - remain under detention for over six months. Last week, Mehbooba and Omar were charged under the Public Safety Act (PSA) - a stringent law that allows detention without trial for up to three months and multiple extensions.

The order came on the last day of their six-month detention without charges. Hundreds of politicians including the Abdullahs and Mehbooba were detained in August as part of the centre's massive clampdown after its decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution and split it into two union territories.