Srinagar, Nov 2: Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (JKPC) on Monday announced to contest on all the 280 seats of District Development Council (DDC) in the Union Territory (UT) as independent candidates since elections are being held on non party basis.
Talking to reporters here on Monday, JKPC chairman Shafiq Mir said after week long consultations with the Panchayat leaders of Jammu and Kashmir it was decided to contest on all the seats.
He alleged that by making an amendment in JK Panchayati Raj Act, government has opened a door for the entry of politicians in this institution at third stage. “But we will not allow them to enter in Panchayat Raj Institution (PRI),” he said, adding that is why they have decided to field independent candidates on all 280 DDC seats for which the preparation for the elections are at final stage.
Mir said that they will not allow the politicians to enter in PRI because they were the people who were always against the PRI system in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mir said all political parties had boycotted the first tier and second tier Panchayat elections held in 2018 and 2019 respectively but at the third and final stage door has been opened for them. “Now when they felt they have been sidelined and left jobless they are preparing to enter in this institution,” he said, adding but ‘we will not allow them to succeed’.
Appealing the educated youth to participate in these elections, Mir said that their past policy of boycott has brought only irrelevant lot in the institutions. The educated youth should realize that they have been always misguided by the politicians with the false promises and they should take part in these local developmental institutions and serve the people.
