Explained: What makes today’s J&K block elections unique, who are in the fray

What is unusual about the elections?

Apart from being the first ever BDC chairperson elections in Jammu and Kashmir, they are being held in unique circumstances. These are the first elections since the August 5 move, and are being held in the backdrop of the detention of Kashmir’s entire mainstream leadership, including that of three former chief ministers (Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti) and a sitting MP. For that reason, their parties — the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party — have boycotted the elections. So has the Congress.

With the leadership of all parties barring the BJP behind bars, questions have been raised over the credibility of the process in the Valley. Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar, however, said: “Parties can’t claim that since we are boycotting elections or we are not participating directly, therefore these elections are going to be sham. It is not the correct kind of argument.”

Who are in the fray?

The State Election Commission said 1,092 candidates are in the fray for the 310 posts. Among them, 853 are independent candidates and 218 are of the BJP, together making up 1,071. Twenty-seven of the candidates have been elected unopposed, leaving 1,065 candidates for the remaining seats.

Any panch or sarpanch can stand for the post of BDC chairman. In a first, the government has reserved 33% seats for women.

Who are the voters?

The strength of the electorate is 26,628 panches and sarpanches. These are from among the 23,376 panches and 3,847 sarpanches who were elected in undivided Jammu and Kashmir in November-December last year.

Those panchayat elections, held over nine phases, had a very poor response. Within Kashmir, a huge number of seats remain vacant —11,264 of 18,833 panch seats (61 per cent) and 1,311 of 2,375 sarpanch seats (34 per cent). Of the 7,596 panches in Kashmir, more than half were elected unopposed.

The State Election Commission said only 1% of the seats in Ladakh division and 2% in Jammu are vacant. Chief Electoral Officer Kumar said the vacant positions will be filled within one year, and if needed the BDC elections for those seats will be conducted separately.

What after the BDC elections?

The government’s thrust will be on establishing the third tier of District Planning and Development Boards. The Board of a district will comprise all BDC chairpersons, urban local body chairpersons or presidents, the local MLA and the MP. District Planning Board members and the chairperson would oversee all developmental activities taking place in their area.