Cancellation of BDC polls shows NC, Cong differences: CPI-M

Srinagar: CPI-M today criticised the cancellation of Block Development Council elections in Jammu and Kashmir and said it showed that coalition partners NC and Congress were not on the same page.

"The decision of the state cabinet indicates that the coalition partners are not working in unison and are pulling in different directions. This issue could have been settled in the state assembly during the recent session instead of bringing an ordinance," CPI-M state secretary M Y Tarigami said.

The state cabinet yesterday decided to put off next month's BDC elections to provide for reservation for SC, ST and women candidates in them. It also decided to bring an ordinance for cancelling the BDC polls for which the notification was issued on October 4.

Tarigami said it would have been proper for the state government to bring an amendment in the assembly.

"The issue of making the Panchayati Raj Institutions more autonomous was debated in the assembly (in the first week of October) and valid points were raised by members from various parties," he said.

He demanded a special session of the assembly to be convened immediately for a threadbare discussion on the issue.

Congress had launched a campaign in favour of bringing about certain changes in the state's Panchayati Raj Act in a bid to further strengthen panchayats and also make reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. But, NC had ruled out the amendment during the assembly session though it promised to incorporate this provision in the act later.