Srinagar, Dec 5: For the first time in past three decades Jammu and Kashmir would move closer to filling four berths in Upper House of the state Legislature when results of the polls to the four Legislative Council seats under Panchayat quota would be declared on Thursday.
 The elections to the four seats- two each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions- were held on December 3.
 The counting of votes would begin at 8 am on Thursday said Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Samoon who was Returning Officer for polls in the Valley.
 In Kashmir the counting process for two seats (K1and K2) would be held at SK International Convocation Center and in Jammu the counting for the seats (J1 and J2) would take place in Polytechnic College.
 In Leh and Kargil the votes would be counted at district headquarters.
 “The results and the winners would be declared once the counting process is completed,” the official said. 
 While ruling coalition partners- National Conference (NC) and Congress- said they were confident of “sweeping” the elections, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be a biggest challenge for the coalition partners to see through.
 The polls, which were held after 1974, saw Panchayat members-Panchs and Sarpanchs- voting in large numbers. Around 93 percent polling was recorded in the state.
 The large turnout was witnessed despite threats to Panchayat members to resign and killing of at least five Panchs and Sarpanchs since the Panchayat elections were held in 2011.
 The Electoral College for the polls consisted 33,540 Panchs and Sarpanchs.
 Although the elections were fought on a non-party basis, political parties, including the Congress, the NC and the PDP, had fielded candidates in those elections.
 The PDP claimed that more than 50 percent of the Panchs and Sarpanchs were on its side.
 National Conference and Congress, on the other hand, made similar claims citing data collected by Rural Development Department.
 “The outcome of the polls will give an idea which party enjoys more support among Panchayat members,” said a political analyst.
 State Congress President, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz said they were confident that Coalition partners will win all the four seats. “It will be a coalition victory,” he said.   
 Chief Spokesman PDP Nayeem Akthar said nothing can be predicted. “We tried our best during the elections. Everything will be clear on Thursday,” he said. 
 Interestingly, observers are keenly watching the performance of Peoples Conference in the polls given repeated claims of its chairman Sajjad Lone of making inroads beyond party’s traditional vote-bank in Kupwara.
 The outcome of polls would have proportional impact on timing of elections on second and third tier of Panchayat Raj Institutions as well as Urban Local Bodies.
 “If coalition bags all four seats, it will encourage government to hold these elections sooner,” an observer said.
 In the 36-member Upper House four berths are reserved under Panchayat quota and two seats for Urban Local Bodies (ULB).
 The ULB elections were not held despite these being due since February 2010 and the seats in the Legislative Council are lying vacant.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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