After a gap of seven years, Jammu and Kashmir is set to hold panchayat elections in April-May this year, marking a crucial development in the J&K’s grassroots democracy, sources said. The final electoral rolls for the polls were published on January 20, paving the way for the electoral process.
In a key step toward conducting the elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) of the Union Territory has initiated the procurement of essential election materials. The SEC is in the process of acquiring nearly 40,000 voting compartments and 64 other required items. The deadline for finalizing the procurement contract is March 11, with the supply expected within a month thereafter.
“J&K currently has a total of 38,800 polling stations, with 18,700 located in the Jammu division and 20,100 in the Kashmir division. The last panchayat elections in J&K were held in 2018, and with the previous panchayat bodies having completed their tenure in 2023,” an official told KDC.
This election holds particular significance as it will be the first panchayat poll in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, he said. (KDC)
