By IANS,
Jammu : The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday said it will hold elections to local bodies as per the state’s own laws and will not amend the constitution in order to follow the national pattern.
The government also ruled out effecting any change in the number of existing panchayats (village councils).
Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar told the state legislative assembly Monday that the local bodies elections will be held as per the state’s own Panchayati Raj Act which will not be changed in accordance with the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian constitution.
The 73rd and 74th amendments envisage elections at village, block and district levels and planning and executive powers entrusted with the heads of these local bodies, reducing the role of the state government and the ministers.
Sagar said some changes will be effected, but the amendments would not be incorporated in full.
The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) opposed the move.
The BJP legislature party leader, Chaman Lal Gupta, who led the party’s protest in the house, questioned why the national pattern was not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.
He also questioned the wisdom of having less panchyats in Jammu region compared to the Kashmir Valley.
“How can a region having more population and area have less number of panchayats than the Valley,” Gupta asked.
Later the BJP members, joined by the Jammu Kashmir National Panthers Party and Jammu State Morcha, staged a noisy walk out.