Srinagar, Oct 18: Though the state’s Election Department Monday set the process for revising the electoral rolls for Panchayats into motion, the Jammu and Kashmir government is still indecisive on the timing for elections to the Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies.
 The office of the Chief Electoral Officer, BR Sharma, Monday issued draft publication for revision of electoral rolls for the Panchayat elections and sought objections and claims for any addition or deletion in it ahead of preparing final rolls.
 Anybody can file objections seeking inclusion of any persons in the electoral list who has attained the age of 18 years on January 1, 2010, but his/her name has not been incorporated in the list.
 Regarding the conduct of the polls, top sources in the government said the “major consideration” for the government was the upcoming winter season in Kashmir and Ladakh and some parts of Jammu.
 Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, is scheduled to hold an important meeting tomorrow to review the situation and preparedness ahead of taking a final call on the polls. Besides, Minister for Rural Development, the CEO and top officials of police and civil administration would be part of the meeting.
 Taking to Greater Kashmir, the CEO said most of the formalities for holding the polls have been completed.
 However, top government officials said there were “minimum chances” for conducting polls by the end of this year when the winter would have already set in Kashmir, Ladakh and some parts of Jammu.
 “The final call will be taken by the government in this regard. While maintenance of law and order is one of the main issues in view of the unrest in the Valley, and government will be seeking inputs from police and other agencies, the upcoming winter is major consideration for government to decide on the issue,” sources said.
 “The Chief Minister is likely to instruct the authorities concerned to prepare the roadmap for conduct of polls, the dates for which are likely to be discussed in tomorrow’s meeting,” sources said.
 Officials said once the State Election Department receives the response to the draft publication of electoral rolls, it would start preparing the final rolls and the whole exercise was expected to be completed by end of November.
 “The election department will be then ready to conduct the polls. But the final decision has to be taken by the government,” sources said.
 Pertinently, the assembly polls in 2008 where conducted in the state from 17th November to 24th December.
 There are 4139 Panchayats in JK. In Kashmir alone there are 77 Panchayat blocks consisting of 2,170 Panchayats and 16,011 Punch constituencies.
 Officials said the number of Panchayat constituencies had swelled to 16,011 in Kashmir after they were re-notified by the Delimitation Committee last year following increase in number of district to 12.
 Officials said preparations in run up to the Urban Local Bodies which include two Municipal Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar, and six Municipal Councils—three each in Jammu and Kashmir and 68 Municipal Committees were complete.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST