J&K Govt all set to announce deferment of Panchayat polls

Jammu, Feb 01 (Only Kashmir): The Jammu and Kashmir government led by Mehbooba Mufti is all set to announce deferment of Panchayat polls following the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit threat to political worker participating in these polls.
Sources said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will chair the All Party Meeting to seek the views of all the political parties in the State regarding the conduct of Panchayat elections. The elections could not be held in 2016 and 2017 due to unrest and political uncertainty in Kashmir valley.
Earlier the state government announced to conduct Panchayat polls from 15th February on non-party basis to which Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik appealed people of Kashmir to boycott Panchayat election. Whereas Hizbul Mujahideen ordered its cadre not to kill any political worker but maim them particularly those who will contest in upcoming Panchayat Elections in Kashmir. The five-year term for the previous panchayat bodies in the state ended in July last year at a time when Kashmir was facing turmoil following the killing of militant Burhan Wani.



Pertinent to mention here, a large number of have been demanding security in the wake of the spate of attacks in past years. The government, however, failed to do so saying it will involve a large number of personnel. The killing of a sarpanch by unknown gunmen sparked a series of resignations time to time by grassroots level public representatives, particularly in North and South Kashmir. (OK)