PDP slams non-implementation of panchayat law in J&K

Jammu: Opposition PDP on Sunday questioned the rationale behind the Jammu and Kashmir government "not implementing" 73rd amendment of the Constitution, saying that if it could "introduce" an anti-terror law in the state, there should be no problem in bringing in the panchayat law.

"NC-led government had been the first one to implement POTA even before it was enacted by the Centre, now it is saying that Central law for panchayat empowerment is against the State", president Mehbooba Mufti said addressing a public meeting in Reasi district. He also accused the state government of "denying" powers to the panchayat institutions in the state. Claiming that PDP was the only party that brought "real" democracy to the state, Mehbooba said it was during the PDP rule that the democratic institutions were strengthened. "Encouraging nepotism and corruption in administration are the only achievements of the decades long mis-governance of the successive NC regimes in the state," she said, accusing the NC of running the government as its "personal empire." PTI