Urban body polls only after delimit and quota exercise for OBCs: Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said the elections for urban local bodies would be held after the completion of delimitation and reservation exercise of wards for other backward classes.

Sinha was addressing the felicitation ceremony of the councillors of Jammu Municipal Corporation, whose tenure ended on Tuesday. The term of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) also ended earlier this month.

"Municipal Corporation is a symbol of the aspirations of the citizens in the 21st century... elections for urban local bodies would be held after the completion of delimitation exercise of wards and reservation of wards for other backward classes ," said Sinha.


The LG said that despite delayed implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments in J&K, the UT administration has ensured basic principles of decentralisation of decision making and development by transferring more departments and works to elected representatives after August 2019.

A senior J&K official here informed that the bill for OBC reservation is likely to be brought up in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urban local bodies of J&K are provided with greater financial resources for strong and accountable self-government...," Sinha said.

Earlier, former deputy mayor of SMC, Parvez Qadri, told reporters: "During the implementation of the Reorganisation Act, the constitutional amendment was clearly specified, which stated that the Delimitation Commission, along with the Election Commission, should conduct polls before tenure ends. But despite SMC's term already ending, no polls have been held which is a violation of constitutional rights."