Srinagar: Union Home Ministry has ordered the deployment of 49 additional battalions of paramilitary CRPF to Jammu and Kashmir in wake of the ensuing Panchayat and DDC election, officials said.
Officials stated that the deployments are being moved from various states to J&K and concerned quarters have been asked to make the arrangements including the desired scale of arms and ammunition, special anti-riot equipment and winter clothing.
Pertinently, the State Election Commission had announced an eight-phase poll to 20 District Development Councils (DDCs) and vacant Panchayat and municipal seats, in the first major electoral exercise since the effective nullification of Article 370 in August last year.
In October, the government amended the J&K Panchayati Raj Act to provide for setting up of District Development Councils in each district, which will have directly elected members, marking the implementation of the entire 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the J&K.
As per officials, votes in the first phase would be cast ballot on 28th of November, the last phase of polling would take place on 19th of December and the counting of votes would take place on 22nd December.
Officials stated that while the election to DDCs and panchayat by-polls will be through ballot, by-election to municipal seats would be conducted through electronic voting machines (EVM).
Important to know that all mainstream parties in Kashmir have announced to take part in the electoral exercise and most of them are fighting under the banner of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
Pertinently, while DDC polls are being held on the party basis, panchayat by-polls are on a non-party basis, about which PAGD said that its candidates would use symbols of respective parties.
Moreover, 20 DDCs—10 each in Jammu and Kashmir, elections for 12,153 vacant panchayat seats and 234 urban local wards are being held across J&K. (KNB)
