DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Jammu, Jan 29
Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu, and Former Minister, S. Manjit Singh today demanded holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir to restore the democratic system.
“The term Urban Local Body, Panchayati Raj and Block Development Councils has expired and since then, the Election Commission has not declared any dates for holding the polls for the above said elected bodies in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Manjit Singh while addressing a public gathering at Ward Number 43, Nanak Nagar, Jammu District.
The meeting was organized by Apni Party, Minority Cell, District President, Dalbir Singh along with Ravinder Kour, President of Ward Number 43 in Nanak Nagar falling in Assembly Constituency Bahu.
During the meeting, the ward residents highlighted their concern over the poor pace of development especially issues related cleanliness, garbage collection, choked drains, development of lanes, and drains etc.
The residents, who participated in the meeting, demanded installation of more CCTVs to curb theft incidents, and drug peddling in the surrounding areas. They demanded installation of more streetlights, and deployment of sanitation workers and vehicles for garbage collection by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). After the threadbare discussion over the issues that were highlighted by the people, Manjit Singh pointed that the Govt officials are unable to work as per the expectation of the people, and hence, these issues remain unaddressed even after repeated pleas before the concerned authorities.
“The works are in progress that belong to a particular political party, whereas the common man or majority of the wards face negligence with regard to development, or cleanliness,” he added.
He said that the public issues can be addressed when there is an elected Govt, elected body in JMC, and Panchayats.
“The people are concerned over the unnecessary delay in holding the polls in J&K. Several years have passed that there is no elected Govt, and the babus are working as per their wishes, which has widened the gap between the Govt and the public. Therefore, it becomes imperative to restore the democratic system at the grass root level starting from legislative assembly by holding elections in J&K,” he stated.
He said that the term of PRIs, ULBs, and BDCs has ended, and the assembly is already not existing in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The situation has given free hands to the babus to decide the fate of the people regarding development, employment, contracts, grab of resources etc.,” he added.
He reminded that all the neighboring states along Jammu and Kashmir have elected Govts, and Parliamentary elections are going to be held across the country.
Prominent among those who were present on the occasion include Provincial President, Jammu, Women Wing, Pavneet Kour, Vice President, Women Wing, Neelam Gupta (Incharge Bahu Constituency), Provincial Secretary, Sheetal Sharma, Senior Vice President, Jammu Urban, Vaibhav Mattoo, Provincial President, Transport Union, Teerath Singh, Legal Cell General Secretary, Kuldeep Sudan, Press Secretary, District Jammu, Vishal Jotshi, Yash Choudhary, Davinder Gill, Dalbir Singh, Ravinder Kour, Chetan Parbaker and others.
