The Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to conduct panchayat by-polls early November to fill the vacant seats.
As per sources, the notification for the polls will be issued shortly to impose the model code of conduct. Around 13,000 posts of Panch and Sarpanch in gram panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir are vacant, officials said.
Earlier, the panchayat polls were scheduled to be held in eight phases between March 5 and March 20 this year. However, the polls were postponed citing law-and-order concerns in the erstwhile state.
The polls were supposed to be the first major political exercise in the erstwhile state since its special constitutional status was revoked by the Indian government on August 5 last year.
According to sources, the Apex Level committee constituted for conducting preparatory work for by-elections for Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDC) in Jammu and Kashmir has submitted its report to the Union Territory government.
“The apex-level committee has suggested that the polls should be held either in the last week of October or early November as it would be too cold in the Valley later on,” sources said. “The polls will be likely held in nine phases.”
Earlier, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, in a notice asked media persons to get letters to cover the upcoming panchayat by-polls in the Valley.
In September, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had given nod for holding the election to 12,168 Panch and 1089 Sarpanch seats.