J038;K panches ask for DC8217;s suspension

The alleged misbehaviour of Udhampur DC,Yasha Mudghal,with elected panchayat members in the district is escalating into a major controversy,with All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference AJKPC 8211; an amalgam of organizations representing nearly 32,000 sarpanches and panches across the state,demanding her immediate suspension on Saturday. The elected rural local body members in Udhampur will hold a demonstration at the district headquarters on July 3. According to Sarpanch Sukhdev Singh,district president of Peoples Democratic Party,panchayat members will also take out a procession.

The panches and sarpanches in the district had claimed that the DC made them do sit-ups and recite multiplication tables as punishment after they were caught napping at an official function earlier this week.

AJKPC chairman Shafiq Mir said that the officer,by her misbehaviour,has not only humiliated the elected panchayat members,but also the Constitution through which these rural local bodies have come into existence. CM Omar Abdullah must act now if he is sincere with the panchayats, he said.