NC petitions Guv opposing amendments to Panchayati Raj Act

Opposition National Conference (NC) has urged Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra to withhold his assent to the amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 which was passed by both houses of the state legislature in the recently-concluded budget session.
"NC expresses grave concern over the (proposed) amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 and urge Governor NN Vohra to withhold his assent to the legislation for the larger interests of the people and the state," a party spokesman said today.
The party submitted a memorandum to Vohra through the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu and claimed the amendment shall "trample the spirit of people being real masters of their destiny" as the indirect mode of electing sarpanches (village heads) would amount to "murder of democracy".

"We understand that the amendment will lead to weakening of the Panchayati Raj system as introduction of an indirect process of election of sarpanches will open the window for coercion, corruption and malpractices to manipulate them," stated the memorandum.
"The measure will have far-reaching consequences and shall eventually discredit and weaken the Panchayati Raj System in the state," it added.
The amendment will wash away and undo the entire process carried out to make small administrative units by the government led by Omar Abdullah in 2014 with an avowed objective of taking administration at the doorsteps of the people and also of empowering them by ensuring direct participation in decision making, it stated.

Though amended from time to time to further strengthen the Act to ensure better governance and delivery, yet the latest amendment (proposed) by the PDP-BJP combination is an overt attempt to weaken the Panchayati Raj System, it added.