Jammu: The State Election Commission (SEC) Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Monday notified the schedule for preparation of a second supplement to the Panchayat Electoral Roll, 2023 with January 1, 2023, as the qualifying date.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that a public notice issued here in this regard stated that the electors of the area can accordingly submit (file) claims and objections regarding additions, deletions, corrections and transpositions of entries in the existing Panchayat Electoral Roll to concerned EROS with effect from September 20, 2023, to September 29, 2023.
The notice said that the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) should get Panchayat Electoral Roll, 2023 displayed at prominent locations in Halqa Panchayat on September 20, 2023, (Wednesday) along with public notice.
Besides, special camps would be held at the Polling Booth Locations on September 23, 2023, (Saturday) and September 24, 2023, (Sunday).
The Panchayat Election Booth Officials (PEBO – VLW/MPW/GRS) along with the Assembly BLOS would remain available at the Polling Booth Locations with the requisite forms and Panchayat Roll, 2023, for the guidance of the electors.
The document said that disposal of claims and objections by ERO would be done with effect from September 30, 2023, (Saturday) to October 6, 2023 (Friday).
The publication of the voter list with the supplement will be done on October 10, 2023 (Tuesday).
The notice stated that as per sub-rule 4 of Rule 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996 (SRO 690 dated October 25, 2019), the Electoral Roll of constituencies of the Panchayat Halqa should be prepared by the provisions of J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, and the procedure prescribed by the election authority.
The Panchayat Electoral Rolls have been updated and revised concerning January 1, 2023, as the qualifying date and the final Panchayat Electoral Rolls have been published on February 10, 2023. Likewise, the term of the present Panchayats is finishing on January 9, 2024, and as per section 42 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the elections to Halqa Panchayat should be held one month before the expiry of the term.
The document said that the State Election Commission has, given the upcoming elections to constitute new Halqa Panchayats, decided to give one more opportunity to the left-out voters and voters to get their names added, deleted, corrected, transposed concerning January 1, 2023, as the qualifying date.
Therefore the names in the last updated Electoral Roll published on February 10, 2023, concerning January 1, 2023, as the qualifying date should be put in the public domain for preparation of the 2nd Supplement to the Panchayat Electoral Roll, 2023.
The qualifying date for the current updation of the Panchayat Roll would, however, remain the same as January 1, 2023.