Onlykashmir.in Editorial Desk
National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year on 24 April, with the aim of renewing the commitment to strengthen democracy at the local level through the Panchayati Raj system.
The importance of this day lies in the fact that democracy should not be limited to Parliament and Houses but should also have strong roots in villages, towns and neighbourhoods.
This concept has been particularly highlighted in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. After the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the central government presented the strengthening of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system as a symbol of grassroots democracy.
The elections to the Block Development Council in 2019 and the District Development Council (DDC) in 2020 were described as historic steps, through which regular representation was established at the local level for the first time in the region. Sarpanch, BDC and DDC representatives were presented as an example of public participation and devolution of powers to the grassroots. But this image could not last long.
In January 2024, the term of the Panchayats expired, and their powers were transferred to the Block Development Officers. No fresh elections have been announced so far, as a result of which the democratic structure at the rural level has been practically suspended. The biggest impact of this has been on accountability.
In the absence of Sarpanchs, there is no public representative left who can question the administration, nor is there any platform where the public can effectively air their grievances.
This gap is not limited to rural areas. The term of the urban local bodies, which include 57 municipal committees, 19 municipal councils and two corporations, also expired on November 14, 2023. This gap has deepened with the expiry of the term of 280 members of the District Development Councils on February 24. As a result, the local governance system has become almost paralyzed and has been replaced by bureaucracy, where public participation is non-existent.
The development implications of this situation are also significant. Funds released by the central government, which were supposed to be spent through elected bodies, are now stalled. In the past, there was a strong link between the people and policymakers through programmes like “Back to Village” and visits by central teams, in which local representatives played an important role. Now, this link has clearly weakened.
A system that was once presented as an example of grassroots democracy, today seems to be stalled. The question is not whether administrative affairs are running or not, but whether governance without representation can be called democratic?
On this National Panchayati Raj Day, there is a need to think seriously and not be limited to mere ceremonies. The spirit of Panchayati Raj lies in regular and timely elections. Unless there is a continuous renewal of the public mandate, the foundations of democracy remain weak.
