Surjit Choudhary meets Union Secretary of Panchayati Raj in Delhi, submits memorandum

NEW DELHI: Surjit Choudhary, Convener of Panchayati Raj Cell Jammu & Kashmir, today met with the Union Secretary of Panchayati Raj, Sunil Kumar, at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi today. During the meeting, he formally submitted a memorandum outlining key demands and pressing issues related to the Panchayati Raj system.

During this meeting, he advocated for electoral delimitation in the Panchayati Raj system in Jammu and Kashmir. Arun Sharma, BDC Chairman Sunderbani and Sarpanch Gurdeep Singh Saini, President of Rashtriya Sarpanch Sangh, North Zone were also present.

The memorandum addressed the need for electoral delimitation at various levels of the Panchayati Raj system. It highlighted the irregularities present in the existing electoral structures and stressed the importance of bringing these systems in line with the principles of fairness and representation.

One of the key points raised in the memorandum is the demand for an open tender process for Panchayat Ghar construction projects at the Panchayat level. He said this move aims to promote transparency and efficiency in the allocation of contracts for these essential community facilities.

Moreover, the memorandum discussed the disparities in the number of votes, Panchayats, and Blocks across different regions of Jammu and Kashmir. These variations have led to imbalances in representation, making it imperative to conduct delimitation exercises that reflect the current demographic and geographic realities.

The Panchayati Raj system in Jammu and Kashmir was established following the abrogation of Article 370, and it consists of a three-tier structure, including Panchayats, Block Development Councils (BDCs), and District Development Councils (DDCs). The first-tier Panchayat elections were held in 2018, followed by BDC elections in 2019 and DDC elections in 2020. With the completion of these three-tier elections, Halqa Panchayat elections are scheduled for December 2023.

The memorandum highlights irregularities observed at different levels of the Panchayati Raj system included variations in the number of votes within Panchayats, ranging from 600 to 6,500 votes; disparities in number of BDCs across districts, varying from 4 to 26l varied numbers of Panchayats within Blocks, with some having only 6 while others have 24 Panchayats and significant variations in the number of DDC members within districts.

Surjit Choudhary emphasized the importance of addressing these irregularities through the delimitation of wards for Halqa Panchayats, BDCs, and DDCs. By ensuring equitable representation and standardized voting patterns, this measure would streamline the Panchayati Raj system in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

In light of these concerns, Surjit Choudhary called upon the Union Secretary of Panchayati Raj to initiate the delimitation process promptly, ahead of the upcoming elections for all three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system. He stressed the importance of conducting delimitation of wards and rectifying these issues to streamline the Panchayati Raj system and ensure that it functions as intended.

Sarpanch Gurdeep Singh Saini, President of Rashtriya Sarpanch Sangh, North Zone, has raised a significant demand for the creation of a dedicated Panchayat Commission. He emphasized that Panchayats play a crucial role in rural governance, ensuring effective service delivery, local development, and grassroots representation.

By advocating for a dedicated Panchayat Commission, Sarpanch Gurdeep Saini aimed to strengthen the institution of Panchayats and provide them with a formal platform for addressing their concerns and advocating for their rights.