AJKPC opposes preponement of panchayat polls, seeks 2-year extension

An organisation representing panches and sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday opposed any move to prepone the panchayat elections and sought two-year extension for existing panchayats in the Union Territory.

The Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission (SEC) had on Monday issued its schedule for revision of the panchayat electoral rolls in the UT.

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) president Anil Sharma said the term of existing panchayats will be ending in November-December 2023 and there are rumors that the government may dissolve the existing panchayats and prepone the elections to the grassroots level bodies.

"This (preponing of panchayat elections) is not acceptable to us and we will oppose it," Sharma told reporters here.

The SEC released the schedule for revision of panchayat electoral rolls on December 12, leading to speculations that the government is planning to prepone the panchayat elections. As per the schedule, January 1, 2023 has been fixed as