Delimitation complete in 72 of 77 ULBs
Srinagar, Feb 19: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has initiated a comprehensive preparatory process for the long-pending Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections. Key administrative, logistical, and statutory steps are either completed or nearing completion, although no formal poll schedule has yet been announced. The finalisation of the Dedicated Backward Classes (OBC) Commission report remains the decisive factor before election notifications.
The tenure of Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) expired on January 9, 2024, leaving the rural tier without elected representation for over a year. In the urban sector, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation completed its term on November 5, 2023, and the Jammu Municipal Corporation on November 14, 2023. Other Municipal Councils and Committees ended their terms between October and November 2023. Only the District Development Councils (DDCs), established in 2020, remain functional, with their term expiring on February 24, 2026.
The absence of elected Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) has affected administrative functions, including fund utilisation, grassroots planning, and institutional training mechanisms. For municipal elections, ward delimitation has been largely completed, with 72 of 77 ULBs finalised; the remaining five are in progress. This process, overseen by the Housing and Urban Development Department, is a key statutory requirement before conducting elections.
For Panchayats, delimitation is not required, but electoral rolls have been updated with January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date, ensuring readiness from a voter list perspective. Municipal electoral rolls will be revised following the completion of delimitation, as per applicable rules.
The reservation and rotation of wards, including OBC quotas, remain contingent on the OBC Commission’s report. Once approved, the reservation matrix can be implemented, clearing the final substantive administrative step before polls can be formally scheduled.
Significant progress has been made on the logistical front. Tenders for election material for Panchayat polls have been completed, and 30,000 ballot boxes have already been procured and distributed to districts.
In 2024, the J&K administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission for the provision of 7,000 multipost Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for conduct of Urban Local Body elections. The MoU effectively secures the technological infrastructure necessary for municipal polls, indicating advance planning for EVM-based voting once statutory clearances are in place.
