J K News Today
Jammu , January 30 The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided not to hold the Panchayat polls any time soon this year and the talk of taking all parties on board is just a convenient way to put off the grassroots democratic polls .
Ministerial sources told J K News Today on Tuesday that the state cabinet’s decision to convene all parties meet on the Panchayat polls was taken after it was known that the National Conference, Congress and other parties were finding themselves unable to contest the Panchayat polls in the prevailing situation .
NC and Congress leaders have already voiced concern over the deteriorating situation in the Valley , and with fresh spate of protests arising out of the civilian killings in South Kashmir in the alleged army firing , these parties are expected to say a firm no to the polls.
The irony in this whole process is that the Government is talking of all political parties on board before deciding on the Panchayat polls , which it has already declared would be held on non-party basis . This minimizes the role of the political parties , but it definitely helps in scotching the local village level leaders from participating in the grassroots democratic process and reviving the institutions for the welfare of the people at panchayat levels.
The idea behind convening the all parties meet is to present a fait accompli to the Centre that the situation is not conducive for holding the polls in Jammu and Kashmir .
