The announcement to hold panchayat elections in Jammu & Kashmir in February has raised questions over the feasibility of the decision, given the fragile political situation in the Valley, especially when the government failed to conduct parliamentary elections in south Kashmir for over nine months now.
The Opposition leaders have criticized the government’s haste because it hasn’t provided, or even laid down the basic outline, for the safety and security of candidates. And the elections are being conducted without taking into cognizance the ground situation with continued civilian killings, crackdowns, militant attacks, encounters and the resultant uncertainty.
According to sources, the state government had earlier decided to issue notification for the polls on January 12 but the move was put on hold at the eleventh hour amid fears that the announcement can disturb the fragile situation in the State.
The source revealed that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, chief secretary BB Vyas, DGP SP Vaid and Home secretary R K Goyal visited New Delhi earlier this month and convinced Central leadership and MHA officials that polls can not be held. “Union Home Ministry and BJP’s Central leadership was keen that polls should be held to revive rural grassroots institutions in the State. The Centre wants their revival before 2019 general elections,” he said. The Election Commission of India had last year cancelled the by-poll for Anantnag parliamentary election as well, citing unfavourable law and order situation in the region.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq Khan today informed the Assembly that government would conduct elections to Panchayat Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies soon.
Replying to a dubbed question of Qaiser Jamshed Lone, Ali Mohammad Dar and Ashok Khajuria, the Minister informed that the Election Authority has announced the revision of Panchayat Electoral rolls for which the process is going on.
He further said that an all party meeting has been called to discuss the issues related to the Panchayat elections. Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, even announced in an angry video a few days ago that he would pour acid into the eyes of those who contest the elections — so that they would remain a burden on their families for the rest of their lives, as he graphically put it.Such threats come against the background of an increase in the number of local boys joining militancy. The number of fresh recruits is larger than the numbers killed in recent months.
The threats also gain potency in the light of the violence that had occurred at polling booths during the bye-election for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on 9 April 2017. Eight people had died in the violence in Budgam and other parts of the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. The situation could have been worse in south Kashmir had the bye-election for the Anantnag seat, which was slated for 12 April, not been postponed.
It was easy to ensure security for Farooq Abdullah, the one MP who was elected in April, also since as a former chief minister, he already had top-level security. But providing security to tens of thousands of panches would be well-nigh impossible.
REPUBLIC DAY THREATS
Over the past week, there have also been threats against school principals, teachers, and others preparing for programmes on Republic Day.
A video recording on social media showed a school principal acknowledging that girls were being prepared for a dance. Apparently facing militants around the camera that recorded him, the school principal was coerced to say that he regretted it. He also said that he would not repeat the mistake and that he did not care about losing his job.
The school principal was told to name the school in the video and was then instructed to name the teacher who was training the schoolgirls to dance for the Republic Day programme.
No wonder then that several former panches and sarpanches have been brutally tortured and killed over the past year or two, particularly in militant strongholds in Pulwama district in south Kashmir.
People have become keenly conscious of the risks of this process, and the turnout, therefore, may be low. There may nonetheless be enough candidates, since there are many who seek the power, influence, and control over public expenditure that being a panchayat member brings with it.
However, many of those who contest may not adequately consider the dangers while others may seek to make covert deals, including monetary ones, with local militants.
The previous Panchayats’ term ended in July 2016, when there was massive unrest following the killing of Burhan Wani. But, although the elections are long overdue, just getting through the formalities of democratic processes is inadequate. The aim must be representation and responsiveness, not the likelihood of further bloodshed.
President Kashmir Hotel Association Mushtaq Ahmed Chaya appeals to the government that there should be deferment in the conduction of the Panchayat polls in the state of Jammu and Kashmir as there are apprehensions that if polls are held in near future, it would impact the arrival of tourists in the state and will affect the state economy.
He added that the tourism sector of the state is already reeling under the crises and there is an urgent need being felt from all corners that constructive measures are needed to be taken sans any delay to revive it. “With the conduction of Panchayat polls, the tourism industry would be affected and people associated with the sector will find it hard to earn any livelihood,” Chaya said.
A top policymaker acknowledged this risk but spoke of the ‘pros and cons’ in the situation. While the state would not want to give in to threats, it would be possible to explain a postponement without referring to the threats.
