Jammu, Nov 30: While Election Department in Jammu and Kashmir is waiting for formal approval from Election Commission of India of its proposal to hold elections on four seats of local bodies in state Legislative Council, hectic parlays are going in National Conference and Congress over the mode on which the elections are to be contested.
Well informed sources in the political circles revealed that the ruling coalition allies are busy in internal consultation over the issue. The two parties are yet to evolve a seat sharing arrangement.
“The state leadership has held several meetings in last one month to chalk out the strategy for elections to four seats in the Upper House”, a senior Congress leader, preferring not to be named, said.
He added that before going to the coalition partner an internal consensus was being evolved to avoid any confrontation on the issue. “The four seats in LC are to be filled up by the elected Panchs and Sarpanchs from across the state. We are confident to win from Jammu as well as Kashmir region”, he said.
A National Conference leader said that two seats each from Jammu and Kashmir regions are to be filled up and most of the party leaders were in favour of contesting one seat from Kashmir and one from Jammu. “However the arrangement would be finalised in consultation with Congress leadership”, he added.
The four seats of the Legislative Council to be filled through voting by the Electoral College consisting of Panchayat members - Sarpanchs and Panchs – are lying vacant and the Election Department in Jammu and Kashmir is yet to get approval of its proposal from the Election Commission for filling up the seats.
The Department had forwarded the proposal to the EC late last month as per which the election have been proposed to be conducted at the regional level, with two Divisional Commissioners – of Kashmir and Jammu- to act as Returning Officers.
It has been recommended that the Electoral College will consist of around 2164 Sarpanchs and 15,959 Panchs from Kashmir division and 1966 Sarpanchs and 13,760 Panchs from Jammu.
An official said that the Election Commission has been requested to consider issuance of two separate notifications for the purpose of filing up of these four seats.
“Each notification will cover election to two seats, i.e. one seat each from Jammu Province and Kashmir Province. Separate Electronic Voting Machines will have to be used. A separate marked copy of the electoral roll will be prepared for each election. Each elected Sarpanch/Panch will take part in both the elections and cast his/her votes twice”, he said while referring to the proposal.
The Election Department has also suggested for setting up of 4128 polling parties in case the polling is to be conducted on panchayat level.
The Panchayats were constituted in the state this year after a gap of more than three decades.
Section 50 of J&K Constitution provides that of 36 MLCs in the Upper House, 22 members shall be elected by the members of Legislative Assembly, eight are nominated by Governor and one each is elected by members of Urban Local Bodies from Kashmir and Jammu province respectively. The sub-section 5 of section 50 provides that two members each shall be elected by the Panchayat members from Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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