India
Jammu and Kashmir panchayat polls face delay after 2024 terms
The Indian Express··1d ago
Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir remain on hold. Officials said the government has not decided OBC reservation required under the Panchayati Raj Act. Panchayat terms ended on January 9, 2024, and District Development Councils ended on February 24, 2026. The State Election Commission said it needs up to two months after the government sets dates.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Rural voters in Jammu and Kashmir lack elected panchayat representatives until the government sets OBC reservation and poll dates.
- Municipal elections also wait because assembly electoral rolls have not been updated pending SIR.
- Schools and local schemes tied to panchayat bodies operate without fresh mandates from grassroots polls.
What's Happening
- The State Election Commission said rural poll preparations are complete.
- Panchayat terms ended on January 9, 2024, and District Development Councils ended on February 24, 2026.
- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said local body elections will be held at an appropriate time.
Why OBC quotas block rural polls
- A three-member OBC Commission submitted its report in February last year.
- The Panchayati Raj Act requires OBC reservation in proportion to population in every panchayat.
- The SEC told officials it needs one-and-a-half to two months after a government decision to hold polls.
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