Panchayat polls to be held in J-K using ballot boxes, first political exercise since its special status was scrapped – india news

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to hold the local body elections (panchayat polls) in the union territory, reports news agency ANI.

“Panchayat elections for vacant posts of every block will be held using ballot boxes. It will be conducted in eight phases,” said Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar.

This will be the first major political exercise since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August last year, which took away the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and turned it into a union territory. A separate union territory of Ladakh was also carved out.

Jammu and Kashmir is now governed by the Centre which has appointed GC Murmu as the Lieutenant Governor to look after the affairs of the union territory. The new status also means that law and order is now handled by the Centre.