J-K block development council polls on Oct 24

A notification was on issued on Tuesday for the election of chairpersons of Block Development Councils (BDC) in 310 blocks of Jammu and Kashmir, the first polls in the state after abrogation of its special status on August 5.

Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar, while issuing the notification, said the elections will be held on October 24.

According to the notification, the last date for filing of nominations will be October 9, while the scrutiny of nominations will be done on October 10. The last date for withdrawal is October 11.

On October 24, the polling will be held from 9 am to 1 pm. The counting of votes will begin at 3.00 pm on the same day, Kumar said.

The poll process for the second tier of the Panchayati Raj system will be completed by November 5, he said.

Prominent leaders of the mainstream parties and activists as well as separatists have been under arrest or detention since the Centre on August 5 revoked provisions related to special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution.

Unprecedented restrictions were imposed in the state to maintain law and order.

The curbs were lifted in the Jammu region where normalcy was restored within weeks. However, there has been a shutdown in Kashmir and sporadic protests with authorities maintaining tight security.

A bill has also been passed in Parliament to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories, which will come into existence on October 31.

Kumar said the elections will be held on party basis and 26,629 panchs and sarpanchs are eligible to vote and contest for the post of BDC chairpersons.

Nearly 24 per cent (12,766) of the posts of panchs and sarpanchs are vacant due to various reasons, including resignations, deaths and non-conduct of the polls during the exercise held last winter, he said.

Over 18,000 panchs and sarpanchs are eligible to take part in the election in the Jammu division. The Kashmir division has only 7,528 elected panchs and sarpanchs, Kumar said.

He said in the Jammu region , there will be 2,703 voters in Jammu district, 2,687 in Rajouri, 2,069 in Poonch, 893 in Samba, 2,186 in Kathua, 2,072 In Udhampur, 1,339 in Reasi, 1,150 in Ramban, 1,900 in Doda and 1,016 in Kishtwar.

In the Ladakh region, there will have 841 voters in Kargil and 744 in Leh.

In the Kashmir region, there will be 2,783 voters in Kupwara, 1,450 in Baramulla, 584 in Bandipora, 374 in Ganderbal, 43 in Srinagar, 650 in Budgam, 132 in Pulwama, 82 in Shopian, 168 in Kulgam and 763 in Anantnag.

As many as 69 BDC chairpersons' posts have been reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates, including 21 women, 25 posts for Scheduled Castes (seven women) and 78 posts for women from the general category, he said.

Elections will be held for 310 of the 316 blocks in the state.

Elections could not be held in two blocks, while there are no women in four blocks reserved for women candidates, the CEO said.

In November 2012, the National Conference-Congress government headed by Omar Abdullah had announced elections to 143 BDCs and the panchayat elections were held in May-June 2011 by the then government.