The Omar Abdullah government has extended the term of the OBC Commission, further delaying elections to panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir.
These elections were originally scheduled for October-November 2023, but remain on hold as the Commission works on finalising reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). A delimitation exercise could push the elections even further.
The decision to introduce OBC reservations aims to provide marginalised communities with greater political representation. However, the prolonged process has left local bodies without elected representatives for over a year, adversely affecting governance and development.
Anil Sharma, president of the JK Panchayat Conference (JKPC), has urged the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take immediate steps to ensure that the democratic process at the grassroots level is not further delayed. "It is unfortunate that this institution has remained inactive for over a year, and no one seems willing to raise their voice for it," he said.
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He said that now that Jammu and Kashmir have an elected government, the responsibility of conducting panchayat elections falls directly on the chief minister. "Earlier, we had to appeal to the Union home ministry because there was no government. But now, since we have an elected Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, our direct and clear appeal is to him," he said.
Municipalities completed their tenure in October-November 2023, while panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) ceased to exist on January 9, 2024. Without elected representatives, decision-making has slowed, and many local projects remain stalled. This has created a governance vacuum, with officials handling administrative matters instead of elected representatives.
Despite this, the District Development Councils (DDCs) remain functional. First elected in December 2020, their tenure runs until January 2026. While they continue to play a role in governance, the absence of panchayats and municipalities has hindered the implementation of development programs at the local level.
