SEC to review preparedness for J&K Panchayat, DDC elections on June 3-4

Srinagar, May 31: The State Election Commission (SEC) has scheduled high-level meetings on June 3 and 4 to review poll preparedness for Panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
State Election Commissioner Shantmanu will chair separate meetings with election authorities from the Jammu and Kashmir divisions. The Jammu division review will be held physically on June 3, while Kashmir division officials will join virtually on June 4, they said.
District Election Officers (DEOs) and other senior officials will attend the meetings to assess logistical, administrative and electoral arrangements for the smooth conduct of the polls.
Sources said that elections to all tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) cannot be held simultaneously due to legal provisions governing Block Development Councils (BDCs). Since BDC members are elected indirectly by elected Panchs and Sarpanchs, Panchayat elections must be completed before BDC polls can take place.
The Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to take a decision soon on the recommendations of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission, a key requirement for conducting local body elections. The report is expected to be placed before the cabinet for approval, sources added.
The OBC Commission, headed by Justice (Retd.) Janak Raj Kotwal, had submitted its report in February 2025 on OBC reservation in Panchayats, Municipalities, BDCs and DDCs. Finalisation of the reservation framework is considered essential before election notifications are issued.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without elected Panchayats since January 2024, while municipal bodies completed their tenure in late 2023. The term of DDCs ended in February 2026, leaving all grassroots local governance tiers without elected representatives.
The SEC has recently completed the revision of Panchayat electoral rolls. The updated voter list has over 72.24 lakh electors, including more than 3.39 lakh newly enrolled voters. The final electorate comprises 36.62 lakh male voters, 35.61 lakh female voters and 141 third-gender voters, officials said. (KNS)