Panchayat body to boycott Legislative Council elections

Srinagar: Terming the announcement of the state government to hold elections to 4 seats of the Legislative Council as diversionary tactic to ‘evade empowerment of Panchayats’, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has decided to boycott the elections.

While addressing a press conference at press club Jammu, AJKPC Chairman, Shafiq Mir and General Secretary Anil Sharma said that no member of the AJKPC will contest elections for the seats of the Legislative Council. They said their priority was empowerment and security of panchayat members.
“We are here to strengthen democracy at grass root level, at Panchayat halqa level. We are more concerned for the safety and security of our Panches and Sarpanches not to become MLCs”, said the Chairman.
The AJKPC leaders accused the government of deliberately announcing the MLC’s elections from Panchayat quota to divert attention from the real issue of empowering Panchayat institutions in the state.
“These elections are nothing but an eyewash and Panches and Sarpanches have never made any such demand”, said the General Secretary.
They said since MLAs and MLCs were against their empowerment, why should they add four more to the ‘the brigade’.
The Panchayat Conference leaders have appealed all the Panches and Sarpanches of the state to demand implementation of 73rd amendment, announcement of salary and security and establishment of three tier Panchayats before voting for any politician.
Before announcing and holding the MLC’s elections the state government should have implemented 73rd amendment of the Constitution regarding Panchayati Raj.
“We appeal the Election Commission of India to hold on this election till 3 tier system of the Panchayati Raj Institution is established in the state. There are no Block Development Councils, District Development and Planning Board (Zila Parishad). There are not even Panchayat Level Judicial bodies instituted, we fail to understand that’ what compelled the state government to announce these elections”, they said.
Anil Sharma, General Secretary of AJKPC even accused the opposition parties for not raising the issue of Panchayat empowerment and playing politics over the issue. “Both ruling and opposition parties are having hand in glove. They speak something on the floor of the house and take another stand in practice”, he said.
The AJKPC leaders also criticized the statement of union Panchayati Raj minister where he had shown helplessness on providing security to the Panches and Sarpanches .