By Tehelka Web Desk
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has taken another step towards conducting long-pending Panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections, with the State Election Commission (SEC) reviewing preparations after completing the revision of electoral rolls.
State Election Commissioner Shantmanu on Thursday chaired a meeting with District Election Officers (DEOs) and senior officials to assess logistical, administrative and electoral arrangements for the smooth conduct of the elections.
The SEC had held a similar review meeting for the Jammu division on Wednesday, while officials from the Kashmir Valley attended Thursday’s session.
During the meeting, officials were briefed on the conduct of Panchayat and DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir, including the responsibilities of Presiding Officers and Returning Officers whenever the polls are announced.
Official sources said there is a possibility that Panchayat and DDC elections could be conducted simultaneously once the election schedule is finalized.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Javaid Ahmad Dar, said the government remains committed to restoring elected local bodies.
“The government is promise-bound to hold the polls for strengthening the grassroot democracy in Jammu and Kashmir,” Dar said. However, he did not specify any timeline, adding that the government would take a decision after the SEC completes its procedural exercise.
According to the SEC, Jammu and Kashmir now has 72,24,131 electors in the updated Panchayat Electoral Rolls, including 36,62,502 male voters, 35,61,488 female voters and 141 third-gender voters. The revision exercise, conducted between March and May, added 3,39,384 new voters to the rolls.
Data from the Panchayati Raj Department shows that Jammu and Kashmir has 285 blocks, 4,291 gram panchayats and 33,597 panch wards. There are also 310 Block Development Councils (BDCs).
In urban areas, the Union Territory has two municipal corporations in Srinagar and Jammu, along with 19 municipal councils and 57 municipal committees across its 20 districts.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without elected panchayat bodies since January 9, 2024, when their five-year term expired. The five-year term of the DDCs ended on February 23, 2026, while the terms of urban local bodies expired in December 2023.
At present, Block Development Officers exercise executive authority over panchayat institutions, while executive officers and commissioners oversee municipal bodies and corporations and implement development plans under Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local body funds.
