Srinagar, June 23: The elections to the 1,009 block panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, which were not constituted in 2001 polls due to militancy, would be held within five months, the state cabinet decided today. Briefing reporters about the cabinet meeting, minister for rural development, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said the election to the vacant positions of 'sarpanch' and 'panch' would be held within five months, schedule for which would be drawn up in consultation with the election authority.

He said elections to the panchayats were held in the state in 2001 but due to lack of adequate public response in some parts of the state affected by militancy, only 1,691 out of a total of 2,700 block panchayats were constituted.

Peerzada accused the previous national conference government of taking no initiative to hold elections to the remaining vacancies of sarpanches and panches or to empower these institutions so as to make them effectively functional to discharge the powers, functions and responsibilities entrusted to them.

He said action would be initiated to complete the process of elections to the positions of chairman, block development council so that this second important tier of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state was constituted at the earliest.
Action would be taken with regard to the constitution of district planning and development boards, he said.

Bureau Report