SEC Publishes Final Panchayat Voter Rolls: Over 7 Million Electorates Registered with 3.41 Lakh New Additions

10726 names corrected, 31180 transposed to other Wards

Jammu, 20-01-2025: The State Election Commission (SEC) has officially published the final electoral rolls for Panchayats, bringing the total number of voters to an impressive 7,000,670. This milestone follows a meticulous voter revision exercise initiated on November 11, 2024, and concluded on January 20, 2025. The revision added 3,41,072 new voters while removing 1,10,768 names due to deaths, relocations, or other reasons. Additionally, 10,726 corrections were made, and 31,180 voters were transposed to different Panchayat Halqas or Wards. The updated rolls include 35,66,475 male voters, 34,34,048 female voters, and 147 individuals identifying as third gender.

The rolls, based on January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date, are now available at offices of District Panchayat Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), and Panchayat Booth Level Officers (PBEOs). Officials emphasized that voter enrollment remains an ongoing process. Eligible individuals who have turned 18 by the qualifying date can still register by submitting the requisite forms to their respective EROs or AEROs.

The publication of the rolls is a significant administrative step, but whether Panchayat elections will proceed in March-April 2025 hinges on the submission of a crucial report by the OBC Commission. This government-constituted body is tasked with determining the percentage of reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Panchayat and Municipal elections. The report’s completion will allow the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department to begin the process of reserving seats for women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and OBCs. Delimitation exercises, if required, will follow.

The inclusion of OBC reservations marks a historic shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral framework, delaying the Panchayat and Municipal elections originally scheduled for October-November 2023. Currently, women enjoy 33% reservation in both urban and rural local bodies, while SC and ST reservations are population-based. The addition of OBC quotas is expected to reshape the political landscape and enhance representation.

The absence of elected bodies for over a year has posed challenges. Municipalities ceased to function after October-November 2023, while Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) completed their tenure on January 9, 2024. Despite this gap, the District Development Councils (DDCs), elected in December 2020, remain active, with their term extending until January 2026.

The SEC’s efforts to finalize the electoral rolls reflect a commitment to ensuring a robust and inclusive democratic process. However, the eventual timeline for elections will depend on how swiftly the OBC Commission submits its findings and subsequent administrative procedures are carried out. The delay in elections, while significant, also underscores the importance of balancing procedural diligence with the urgency of restoring grassroots democratic institutions.

As the region moves toward resolving these complexities, the publication of updated electoral rolls marks a step forward in preparing for elections that promise broader inclusivity and renewed governance at the local level.