Jammu, June 18: Amid criticism for not coming clear over the empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) at par with other states of the country, the state Government is likely to announce the election schedule to elect Block Development Councils (BDCs) by the end of this week and hold elections in July.
 Reliable sources informed Greater Kashmir that the Election Department has already completed the revision of electoral rolls.
 “All the preparations have been completed and the state Government is likely to make a formal announcement in this regard in next few days,” sources said.
 The election for 143 block councils, sources said, will be held simultaneously on a single day in both regions of the state. “The election schedule, including dates for nominations, scrutiny of papers, dates for withdrawal of candidature and the day of election will be issued soon,” sources said, adding that the elections to BDCs would be held after 20 to 25 days of publication of election schedule.
 They further said that around 35,000 voters including 1966 Sarpanchs and 13,760 Panchs in Jammu province and 2164 Sarpanchs and 15,959 Panchs in Kashmir province will cast their votes to elect the members and chairmen of BDCs.
 National Conference-led coalition Government has been facing severe criticism from various quarters including the senior leaders of main coalition partner Congress for delaying the elections to the BDCs and DDCs to establish the three-tier Panchyati Raj System in the state. Former chief minister Gulam Nabi Azad has also taken strong exception to delay in the conduct of elections to BDCs.
 Azad, at a party convention in Srinagar last month, had said that the Panchayats have failed to trickle the benefits to grass root level as the state Government failed to conduct BDC elections.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST