Srinagar, Dec 1: Maintaining distance from the ruling coalition as well as the opposition, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, and Peoples Democratic Front chief Hakim Muhammad Yasin have asked Panchayat representative to vote ‘as per their conscience’ in the Legislative Council polls on December 3.
“We leave it to the judgment of Panchayat representatives to decide for themselves whom to vote as per their conscience,” both the legislators- votaries of forming Third Front in the State- said in a joint statement issued here.
The duo, without blaming any party, rued “over-politicization” of the elections for four seats of Legislative Council under Panchayat quota.
“The elections to the Legislative Council under Panchayat quota have been over politicized much to the disadvantage of Panchayat Raj Institutions. The main and important issue is and should have been the empowerment of these institutions so that the democratic system at grass root level would have been strengthened, which was in fact the very purpose of Panchayat elections,” the joint statement reads.
“Panchayats were aimed to be the autonomous institutions of self-governance at the grassroot level and the elections were conducted on non-party basis with a purpose not to divide the ranks on partisan lines. But the way the elections to LC under Panchayat quota are being conducted does not seem to be encouraging,” the legislators have said.
The two said they would continue to struggle with other like-minded people for the genuine empowerment of these institutions.
“Though the conduct of Panchayat elections after a long gap is appreciable, but as of now the process of establishment of Panchayati Raj system in essence is still incomplete,” the statement reads.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
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