Jammu & Kashmir: BDC Elections to be Held For Institutionalising Panchayati Raj, Announces Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal

Srinagar, August 24: Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary, Planning Commission, Rohit Kansal on Saturday said that major steps are taken in the valley. He said that "important decision has been taken regarding holding elections to the Block Development Councils (BDCs), as the next step towards operationalising and institutionalising Panchayati Raj mechanism in the state." Kashmir Jolted by Article 370 Repeal: Is The Move Similar to 'Rigged Elections of 1987' And 'Sheikh Abdullah's Arrest' in 1953?

J&K Rural Development Department Secretary, Sheetal Nanda said that elections would be held to 316 Block Development Councils. Preparations are on. "The first step to conduct reservation exercise is completed in the valley and is in the last stage in Jammu," Nanda said. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2019: Polls Unlikely Till 2021 in Union Territory of J&K, Says ECI Sources.

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The government has decided to complete the process of BDC elections by September. The centre on August 5 revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. With the abrogation of Article 370, the provisions of 73rd Amendment has been extended to the valley.

Meanwhile, the assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are likely to differ till 2021, said IANS sources. The ECI sources said that the process of delimitation of Assembly seats will begin by November and the process will take 14 months to complete.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2019 06:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).