EC approves schedule for election to four seats of MLCs

The Election Commission of India (ECI) nowadays approved the proposal for holding election to four seats of MLCs reserved for Panchayats once thirty eight years and would be issuing a notification any time this month. The elections would be held either by the top of might or the beginning of June.Official sources told the Excelsior that the ECI has sent the approved proposal to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), B R Sharma, who was conjointly Home Secretary of the State. The proposal had to be revised because the ECI had sought clarifications from the CEO workplace of J&K on delimitation of the constituencies for holding the elections.The CEO workplace of J&K sent a revised proposal to the ECI, that was finally approved nowadays."With the approval of proposal, decks are cleared for holding elections to four seats of MLCs, that were vacant within the higher House since 1974'', sources said, adding that the election would take strength of Legislative Council to thirty four leaving solely 2 vacancies of Urban native Bodies (ULBs). The Council incorporates a total strength of thirty six however presently there have been six vacancies.As per the revised proposal approved by the ECI, Jammu and Kashmir provinces are earmarked as territorial jurisdiction of 2 seats every. this suggests that Sarpanches and Panches of Jammu and Kashmir provinces would elect 2 MLCs every. The Panchayat members of Ladakh region would vote in Kashmir province."Every Sarpanch and Panch would be eligible to solid 2 votes every inside their province i.e. Jammu and Kashmir. 2 candidates securing highest range of votes would be elected MLCs from every province'', sources said.A total of 286 polling stations would be came upon for the election in 143 blocks of the State i.e. every block would have 2 polling stations every. The polling stations would be located in an exceedingly single building with separate Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). each Sarpanch and Panch would solid his vote twice in separate EVMs-one every for 2 candidates.The elections would be held below the illustration of People's Act (RPA). Therefore, a person eligible for contesting the election of MLA will be part of the fray for the post of 4 MLCs. The Sarpanches and Panches, who would type electoral school for the election, might conjointly contest the election.The elections would be endured party basis. The freelance candidates also can be part of the fray additionally to political parties. The four seats would be referred as MLC (J-1) and MLC (J-II) and MLC (K-1) and MLC (K-II) with the word J pertaining to Jammu province and therefore the word K pertaining to Kashmir province as well as Leh and Kargil districts.In Jammu province 1966 Sarpanches and thirteen,760 Panches would elect 2 MLCs whereas in Kashmir province 2164 Sarpanches and fifteen,959 Panches would elect an equal range of MLCs.Divisional Commissioner, Jammu province and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir province would be appointed because the Returning Officer for each the seats falling in Jammu and Kashmir provinces respectively. every District Election Officer are appointed as Assistant Returning Officers for the polling stations/CD blocks falling with the territorial limits of his district. However, in case a CD block falls in additional than one district, the District Election Officer having administrative management of quite fifty per cent of Panchayat Halqas falling inside that CD block can perform as Assistant Returning Officer for that CD block.There will be 2 polling stations i.e. one for every MLA constituency for all Panchayat Halqas inside that CD block. The polling stations are came upon at the CD block headquarters. As there have been 143 CD blocks, 286 polling stations are came upon for the election. All Sarpanches and Panches of 1 explicit block are needed to solid their vote at block headquarters. the most range of electorates for one polling station are 611 at Keller in Kulgam.The proposal approved by the ECI said: "since territorial constituencies of MLCs, who are to be elected by the members of Panchayats (Sub Section five of Section fifty of the State Constitution) cannot be delimited. Therefore, all Sarpanches/Panches of Jammu province and Kashmir province can represent the electoral school for the 2 seats earmarked for Jammu province and Kashmir province respectively.""Two separate notifications would be issued for the aim of filling up the four seats. every notification would cowl election to 2 seats i.e. one seat every from Jammu province and Kashmir province respectively. Separate EVMs are used. A separate marked copy of the electoral are ready for every election. every elected Sarpanch/Panch would participate in each the elections and solid his/her votes twice''.The provisions of Sub-Section (4) of Section twenty one of the illustration of People's Act, 1957, coping with the preparation of electoral rolls for the Council constituencies would apply within the election."The electorates shall encompass members of Panchayat and such different bodies, if any, inside the bounds of constituency because the Governor might by order specify below sub-section (5) of Section fifty of the Constitution. each member of the Panchayat and of such native body, if any, inside a Panchayat's constituency as mentioned in clause (a) shall be entitled to be registered within the electoral roll for that constituency. The Electoral Registration Officer for every Panchayat's constituency shall maintain in his workplace within the prescribed manner and type the electoral roll for that constituency corrected up to date'', the sources said.There are a complete of thirty six seats within the higher House. However, gift strength of the House was thirty as six seats, four reserved for Panchayats and 2 for ULBs were vacant.It was in 1974 that four seats reserved for Panchayats within the higher House were stuffed once the elections. afterward the seats remained vacant as complete elections to Panchayats weren't held. it had been in September 2011 that election method for Panchayats was completed once being set into motion in April last year.Strength of the House before 2005 remained confined to thirty as four seats reserved for Panchayats and 2 for Municipalities (Urban native Bodies) could not be stuffed within the absence of elections to each Urban and Rural native Bodies.However, 2 seats of Urban native bodies were stuffed in October 2005 as ULB elections were held in January 2005 once a spot of twenty six years. PDP's Nizam-ud-Din Bhat was elected from a seat reserved for Kashmir from the ULBs whereas Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council and senior Congress leader, Arvinder Singh Micky was elected from Jammu region.Both these seats have conjointly fallen vacant as Mr Bhat quit membership of the higher House in 2009 once his election to the Legislative Assembly whereas Micky's term expired on September fifteen.Elections to the Municipal companies and Committees weren't held despite being due in January-February 2010.With the filling from four seats within the higher House from the quota of Panchayats shortly, the amount of seats within the higher House would rise to thirty four as 2 seats of ULBs solely would stay vacant.
Heavy Turnout in Panchayat elections

Jammus daughter set to become Delhi Mayor

A woman from Rehari Colony, Jammu is prepared to form a history by turning into couldor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation on May two.

Savita Gupta daughter of Satish Chander Gupta and sister of Arvind Gupta has been fielded for the post of Mayor by the BJP for South Delhi Municipal Corporation once creating a hat-trick within the simply concluded elections.

The nomination of Savita Gupta for the post of Mayor of South Delhi Corporation was announced by Jagdish Mukhi, a senior BJP leader from New Delhi and Incharge Jammu and Kashmir whereas addressing 2 days State government committee meeting of the BJP that began here these days.

Mr Mukhi's announcement was welcomed by the State leaders of the BJP with clapping.

He said the BJP has won all 3 Municipal firms in New Delhi and its candidates would be elected Mayors throughout the elections.

Savita Gupta, who was married to Ashwani Gupta of Lajpat Nagar in South Delhi, a civil engineer, who had later floated his own construction company, has been elected for third consecutive term as Corporator and would be making history by turning into Mayor for the third time.

She was elected from Ward No. one hundred sixty (Amar Colony, South Delhi) by beating Taruna Kataria of Congress by 4600 votes.

In 104 seats South Delhi Corporation, the BJP was single largest party with forty four seats. It had the support of Independents and others to form it to the victory mark of fifty three.

The election of couldor was scheduled for May two.

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Heavy Turnout in Panchayat elections

ULB elections ruled out in April

Delay in preparation of draft rolls followed by revision of electoral rolls and completion of many other formalities have delayed elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and it would be impossible for the Election Department to complete poll process even in May.

Official sources said the statement by Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Nasir Aslam Wani, who also holds charge of Home Department, in the Legislative Council on April 4 that ULB election process would be completed by April end appeared to have been made out of sight.

``The Government, had in January this year, written to the Election Department to complete election process of Municipalities by April end. The statement was reportedly based on that order, which has neither been modified nor cancelled so far'', they said.

However, according to sources, due to delay in preparation of draft rolls by some of the Deputy Commissioners, which would be followed by mandatory revision of electoral rolls and reservation of wards for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and women, the Election Department was not in a position even to complete the election process in May what to say of April end.

Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in his reply to the debate on grants of his Departments in the Legislative Assembly on March 28, had said that elections to ULBs would be held this year. He had not mentioned any specific month or given any deadline for conducting the polls, dropping enough hints that elections were unlikely to be completed by the April end deadline set by him early this year.

Meanwhile, when approached for his comments, Nasir Aslam Wani, said he had reiterated the Government message sent to the Election Department earlier that the election process should be completed by April end.

``I had said in the Council that the Government had written to the Election Department to complete poll process by April end'', he said, adding it was for the Department now to give reasons for not meeting the deadline.

Mr Wani said Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who holds portfolio of Housing and Urban Development Department, has called a meeting of all concerned officials early next week, most likely on Monday or Tuesday, to discuss threadbare a strategy to hold the Municipal elections at the early possible date.

Sources said revised figures of the census have made Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) eligible for 75 Wards instead of present 65 while Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) even didn't qualify for existing 71 Wards. Under the Act, population of a Ward in the Corporation shouldn't exceed 7500.

The Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar has already written to the concerned authorities including Housing and Urban Development Department and Election Department for increase in number of Wards of the SMC from 65 to 75. The H&UD Department was yet to take a decision on it.

In addition to this, sources pointed out, a number of districts were yet to come up with draft rolls. Though some of the districts have prepared draft rolls, others were yet to submit the lists to the Election Department.

``Only when all districts submit draft rolls to the Election Department that revision of electoral rolls could be ordered '', sources said pointing out that revision of rolls was mandatory before conducting elections to the Municipalities.

It would take at least 15 days to the Election Department to complete revision of electoral rolls.

Going by the statement of Nasir Aslam Wani that reserved Wards for women would be changed in the elections, sources said, the exercise of identifying the Wards for reservation of SC, STs and women as provided in the Municipal Act would also take time as these Wards would be identified by the Deputy Commissioners and conveyed to the Election Department.

Due to addition of some Municipalities, their Wards, voters and reserved Wards were also yet to be fully identified. Moreover, some areas of Municipalities have been included in Panchayats and vice versa. The concerned Deputy Commissioners have to finally demarcate the Wards.

Fresh census figures have also created certain problems, sources said, adding that population had increase in some Wards and gone down in others, leading to imbalances, which were being set right.

After revision of electoral rolls was completed, the Election Department had to issue a notification of 21 days for starting elections process for first phase, sources said.

The elections to Urban Local Bodies were hanging fire for past about two years now as all Municipal bodies had ceased to exist in March 2010. Elections to the ULBs were held in January-February 2005 after a gap of about 26 years as they had last been held in 1979. The Municipalities were formed in first week of March in 2005 and they completed their five years term in March 2010. Since then, the elections hadn't been held to Municipal bodies.

During last elections held to the Municipalities, there were 14.34 lakh voters. With elections now being held after more than seven years, the number of electorates was expected to go up significantly especially with the inclusion of 16 more Municipalities for holding elections.

The Central funds worth several crores had been blocked due to delay in holding of elections to the ULBs, sources said, adding though the funds are non-lapsable, they would be granted by the Centre to the State only when elections were held to the Municipalities.

It may be mentioned that the Centre has agreed to release Rs 364 crore worth funds to the State, which had been blocked due to delay in holding of elections to the Panchayats.

According to sources, the elections to Municipalities would be held on party basis contrary to the Panchayat elections, which were held on non-party basis last year.

Sources said only after the completion of electoral process for Municipalities, the Government would hold first ever elections to Block Development Councils in the State, which would be second tier of Panchayats.

Election for four seats of Legislative Council of Panchayats would also be held after the Municipal polls, sources said, adding that the Government could request the Election Commission through the State Election Department to hold election for four seats of MLCs from Panchayat quota (two each from Jammu and Kashmir divisions) simultaneously with two seats of MLCs to be elected by the Municipalities (one each from Jammu and Kashmir divisions) if the ULBs were in place.

Heavy Turnout in Panchayat elections

Civic polls to be completed by April end in J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir Government today said that it has asked state Chief Electoral Officer to complete elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by the end of April this year.

“The State Government has issued directions to CEO to complete elections to the ULBs by end of April 2012,” Minister of State for Housing, Nasir Aslam Wani said in a reply in the Legislative Council.

A web portal of Housing and Urban Development Department has been made operational on http://jkhudd.Gov.In, he said, adding all municipal bodies are linked with this portal.

A Government order has been issued for providing basic services to urban poor, he said.

Building bye-laws have been prepared and notified in case of Srinagar and Jammu Municipal Corporations, Wani said, adding that a Government order has been issued for earmarking at least 20-25 percent of developed land in all housing projects for Economically Weaker Section/ Low-Income Group category.

Imposition and collection of property tax, transfer of 18 functions listed in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution are yet to be implemented, he said.

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Farooq rules out mid term polls

The loss of a few states for Congress in the assembly elections does not warrant mid-term polls to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah  said here on Friday. "Some may win in elections and others lose. Congress losing in a few states does not mean that there should be mid-term polls for the Lok Sabha. United Progressive Alliance government is there with many parties," he said.

He was replying to a question on Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi's remarks that after the poll results Samajwadi Party and even Trinamool Congress would want to see a mid-term poll so that they "can increase their tally" in Parliament.

Asked for his response to attacks on some Dalits allegedly by Samajwadi Party workers during victory celebrations, he said vested interests always wish to create trouble during such times. "Simply blaming Mulayam Singh and his party for this and also terming it as return of Goonda Raj is not right," he said.

Asked if regional parties have become more powerful after SP's victory, Abdullah said such parties were always powerful.

However, they should work to strengthen the nation. "If India dies, will regional parties survive?" he said.

On Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant imbroglio and acute power shortage in Tamil Nadu, Abdullah said the Centre would extend all possible help for proper grid connectivity and also provide necessary funds to the state.

To a question on PDP President Mehbooba Mufti's charge of alleged misappropriation of Rs 50 crore from Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, of which he is president, Abdullah said "I do not know from where she got the figure. We are yet to arrive how much has been siphoned off and the finance committee is looking into it." 

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KP of Jagati want elections

Various KP organizations of Jagati for elections in township 

Various organizations of Kashmiri Pandits at Jagati tenements today urged the Government to solve the problems of the displaced people which included enhancement of cash relief and overall development of the township and mitigating the sufferings of the inmates there.

The meeting also demanded that immediate attention be paid towards the problems of overaged youth and providing of immediate accommodation to left over families. The meeting in an appeal to the Government urged it hold elections so that a democratically elected body for the township could come into existence which could project the problems of the community before the Government in a democratic way and the role of self styled leaders could end once for all.

The meeting appealed the Chief Minister to frame a Town Area Committee for over all development of the township. The meeting was chaired by Moti Lal Dhar and attended by Ravi Pandita, Chuni Lal Bhat Kuldeep Chopra and others.

In another meeting of Displaced Coordination Committee which was chaired by B L Raina, who while expressing satisfaction over the steps taken by the Government and Relief organization in implementation of PMs employment package demanded that remaining posts should also be filled up soon. It also demanded that an overall Committee be constituted for the township in a democratic way.

Displaced Welfare Committee Muthi in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Ravinder Raina while discussing the problems of the displaced people after shifting of the camp to Jagati stressed on formation of a coordination of all camps to project the problems in a democratic way.

Panchayat elections 14th phase

Even as nearly 99 per cent contestants in four blocks of Leh district were elected unopposed in 14th phase of Panchayat elections today, 67.3 per cent electorates exercised their right to franchise in the polls for nine blocks of three regions of the State to elect 166 Sarpanches and 597 Panches.

Nine blocks spread over all three regions of the State—Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh—that went to polls today comprised 217 Sarpanch and 1486 Panch constituencies. However, 217 Sarpanches and 1486 Panches had been elected as unopposed while there were no contestants for two Sarpanch and 155 Panch segments.

Out of a total of 2.22 lakh votes, 1.49 lakh exercised their right to franchise in 14th phase of voting today.

Highest turnout of 90 per cent was reported from Kralpora block of Kupwara district where election was held for three Panchayats only while lowest voting percentage of 52.3 was recorded in Pampore block of Pulwama district.

Bhallesa block of Doda district accounted for 84.7 voting. Voting percentage in other blocks included Kalaroos, Kupwara (84), Shopian (63), Nobra (82.3), Panamik (72.4), Nyoma (72) and Durbuk (78).

Polling in Bhallesa block of Doda district passed off peacefully amidst tight security arrangements. People turned up in large number in far off and remote areas of Bhallesa to cast their votes.

Heavy turn-out was recorded even from the villages where threat of the militants once loomed large. Long queues of people were witnessed right from the morning at Gandoh proper, Chilli, Samara, Manch, Haddal, Kota, Kilotran, Bharti, Soti, Kaljugasar, Goha, Changa and other areas of Bhallesa block.

The polling and counting remained incident free.

DIG Doda-Ramban range Manish Kumar Sinha and SP Headquarters Doda Arif Mohammad Reshu supervised security arrangements for the polls.

Polling would conclude in Jammu region in 15th phase of elections on June 11 with elections in Bhaderwah in Doda district, Marwah, Dachchan and Inshan in Kishtwar district. Polling process has already been completed in eight blocks of 10 districts of Jammu region.

Immediately after the polling was completed, counting of the votes was taken up at all places. Majority of results had been declared by late tonight and the election process would be over by tomorrow morning.

Like previous phase, majority of candidates for the posts of Sarpanches and Panches had been elected unopposed this time too.

Official sources said 13 out of 14 Sarpanches and 90 out of 92 Panches had been elected uncontested in Nobra block of Leh leaving only three constituencies for the election. Similarly, five out of six Sarpanches and 39 out of 40 Panches were elected unopposed in Panamik block of Leh district. Election in Panamik was held for only two segments.

In Nyoma block of Leh, nine Sarpanches from a total of 13 and 78 Panches from amongst 79 had been elected unanimously necessitating elections in five segments only while in Durbuk block of the same district six out of seven Sarpanches and 42 from 46 Panches were elected unopposed leading to polling only for five seats.

A total of 49 Sarpanches including one male and 734 Panches, 260 of them women, had been elected as unopposed.

In Shopian, seven Sarpanches had been elected unopposed while five Sarpanches won uncontested in Bhallesa block of Doda. Two Sarpanches were elected uncontested in Kalaroos and one each in Kralpora and Pampore.

Thirty-seven Panches were elected unopposed in Kalaroos, 17 in Kralpora, 52 in Pampore, 244 in Shopian and 135 in Bhallesa.

A highest number of 107 Panch constituencies went uncontested in Shopian block followed by 39 in Pampore in Pulwama. Two Sarpanch constituencies remained uncontested in Pampore. In Bhallesa also, three Panch segments went uncontested.

Out of a total of 20,306 votes, 17,057 exercised their right to franchise in Kalaroos block of Kupwara while 2349 votes were polled from a total of 2610 in Kralpora block of Kupwara district.

In Pampore block of Pulwama district, 24,307 from 46,458 votes were cast while in Shopian, 67,266 votes were polled from a total of 1.06 lakh.

In Nobra block of Leh, 706 votes were polled from a total of 857 while in Panamik block, 1123 votes were cast from 1551. In Nyoma block, 1215 people turned up for voting from a total of 1687 while in Durbuk block of Leh, 277 people exercised their right to franchise from 354.

In Bhallesa block of Doda district, 35,362 people exercised their right to franchise from 41,707.