The Jammu and Kashmir administration has intensified preparations for long-awaited Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, signalling a push to restore grassroots democratic institutions that have been without elected representatives for years. Official sources say key administrative groundwork and statutory processes are either completed or nearing completion, although a formal election schedule is yet to be announced.
Delimitation of municipal wards a prerequisite for civic polls has been finished in 72 out of 77 ULBs, with the rest in final stages, clearing a major procedural hurdle. Electoral rolls for Panchayat bodies have been updated with January 1, 2025 as the qualifying date, positioning voter lists for imminent use. Authorities have also secured crucial election infrastructure, including thousands of ballot boxes and an agreement to obtain Electronic Voting Machines for urban polls.
However, the final administrative step before announcing poll dates remains contingent on the approval of recommendations from the Dedicated Backward Classes (OBC) Commission, which will determine the reservation framework for Panchayat and municipal constituencies. The report has been under government consideration for nearly a year, and its formal adoption is expected to unlock the scheduling of elections.
The terms of Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) expired in January 2024, while municipal corporations and councils have also been without elected bodies since late 2023. The only remaining tier, the District Development Councils (DDCs), is nearing the end of its term, underscoring the urgency of holding polls across all local tiers.
Political voices across the region are urging swift action, stressing that local polls are essential for empowering citizens and strengthening democratic governance at the grassroots. With preparatory steps advancing and administrative blocks being cleared, Jammu and Kashmir appears poised for what could be one of its most consequential waves of local elections in years provided the reservation and statutory requirements are finalised soon.
