The Union government approved the election process for three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, in a bid to create a new leadership in the Union Territory at the grassroot level as a counter to the existing regional parties.
“The rest of India was enjoying local elections at Panchayat level since 1973 but it was not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. The removal of Article 370 has made it possible here. Earlier, many welfare programmes and laws were not applicable there,” Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said while briefing the press after a Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi.
“Now, elections can be held to gram panchayat, block development, and district development council. This was promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kashmir and Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.”
Javadekar said there will be early elections and power to manage local bodies will go to the people. “They will elect their representatives, who, in turn, will plan the development of their districts, and implement various welfare measures and programmes. This decision will be welcomed by all people of the Jammu and Kashmir.”
It will also be a signal to the regional parties like the National Conference and the PDP who were grouping together to counter the Centre's move to remove Article 370, Javadekar said.
“Kashmir's tragedy was that the power was not with people, but with a few people,” he said.
