Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Jan 10: A day after the five-year term of elected Sarpanchs and Panchs came to an end in Jammu & Kashmir, the administration of the Union Territory on Wednesday appointed block development officers as administrator(s) of Halqa Panchayats falling under their jurisdiction.
The J&K government today appointed block development officers as administrator(s) for running the affairs of Halqa Panchayats for a period of six months, saying that it is satisfied that Halqa Panchayat(s) cannot be constituted immediately.
“The term of Halqa Panchayat(s) has expired on 09.01.2024 and the Government is satisfied that Halqa Panchayat(s) cannot be constituted immediately,” reads a notification issued by Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
“Now therefore in exercise of powers conferred by section 9 of Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Government hereby appoints Block Development Officers (BDOs) as administrator(s) for running the affairs of the Panchayat Halqa(s) under their jurisdiction for a period of six months w.e.f 10.01.2024 or till further orders, whichever is earlier,” it further states.
It was already reported that government is appointing administrator(s) for running the affairs of Panchayats.
The government had already made similar arrangements urban local bodies after their five-year term came to end in October- November last year. It had empowered deputy commissioners and additional district development commissioners as administrator(s) of municipal bodies.
The elections for Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats were expected in October- November last year, but couldn’t take place due to a host of reasons.
The local bodies polls in J&K are unlikely to be held before the 2024 parliament polls which would take place in April –May.
In December 2023, the administrative council headed by LG Manoj Sinha proposed amendments in Jammu & Kashmir’s Panchayati Raj Act to grant reservation to Other Backward Classes(OBCs) in these institutions.
