SEC to review Panchayat electoral roll revision, ULBs’ delimitation status today

Jammu, Mar 8: Newly appointed State Election Commissioner (SEC) of J&K, Shantmanu will hold a review meeting on March 9, 2026 for revision of Panchayat Electoral Roll-2026; assessing status of delimitation of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and updation of control table.

This will be the maiden high-level meeting of Shantmanu with specified agenda after taking over as SEC, J&K on February 21, 2026.

The meeting in hybrid mode will take place at 11 am in the meeting hall, Vikas Bhawan in JDA complex, Jammu.

All Deputy Commissioners along with the Deputy District Election Officers (DEOs), District Informatics Officers (DIOs) and Election Naib Tehsildars (ENTs) of Union Territory of J&K have been directed to attend the meeting through video conference.

Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Secretary, J&K Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, J&K; Deputy Commissioner Jammu; Director Rural Development Department, Jammu; Director Panchayati Raj, J&K and State Informatics Officer, NIC, J&K, Jammu will attend the meeting in person.

Director Rural Development Department, Kashmir will also attend the meeting through video conference.

Earlier this meeting was scheduled to take place on March 3, 2026 yet was postponed due to inability of Deputy Commissioners from Kashmir division to attend the meeting due to law-and-order situation emerged following protests which erupted there against the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by US-Israel forces.

As per the revised agenda of the meeting, the deliberations will be made on the last updated Panchayat electoral rolls, which will serve as draft electoral roll with qualifying date April 1, 2025 and a tentative schedule for revision of electoral rolls will be chalked out.

Deliberations vis-à-vis inclusion of new voters in Panchayat rolls, whose names already exist in assembly rolls – by comparing latest electoral rolls- by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) or Panchayat Election Booth Officials (PEBOs) and requirement of funds by each district for the electoral roll updation and SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) activity among other issues – will be part of the meeting agenda.

On February 24, 2026, the five-year term of District Development Councils (DDCs) came to an end and with that, the three-tier Panchayati Raj system also ceased to exist in J&K. The other two tiers i.e., Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) had already completed their terms two years ago.

DDCs formed the last tier of Panchayati Raj system in J&K, in place till their five-year term concluded on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, as notified by the J&K government. Panchayats’ and BDC terms in J&K expired on January 9, 2024.

Srinagar Municipal Corporation term expired on November 5, 2023 and Jammu Municipal Corporation term expired on November 14, 2023. Further terms of all Municipal Councils and committees expired between October and November, 2023.

SEC’s appointment has rejuvenated the hopes for early conduct of Panchayat, Local Bodies’ polls, though already delayed by two years.

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in his address on the opening day of the current budget session of J&K legislature on February 2, 2026, while reiterating government’s commitment to further strengthening democratic institutions, had emphasised the timely conduct of elections to local bodies.

He asserted that the timely conduct of elections to local bodies, bolstered grievance redressal mechanisms and integration of digital governance would reinforce transparency, accountability, and participatory governance.

Following it, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, too, in his written reply in the House on February 9, had stated that the preparations of Panchayat and Local Bodies’ polls were underway.

CM Omar had mentioned that the State Election Commission (SEC) was making necessary arrangements for holding Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies’ elections at the earliest.

However, the OBC Commission report was yet to be approved and notified, therefore, further steps for conduct of polls would be taken accordingly, he had pointed out.

“The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and for the conduct of all elections under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989, Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act 2000 and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act 2000 is vested in the State Election Commission. The Commission is making necessary arrangements for holding panchayat and Urban Local Bodies’ elections at the earliest,” CM Omar had said.

He also informed that the report submitted by the Dedicated Backward Classes (OBC) Commission was under examination by the competent authority and further steps for conduct of Panchayat and ULB elections would be taken accordingly.

CM Omar shared with the House that as prescribed under Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, Panchayat Halqas were delimitated before the conduct of general Panchayat election 2018 by the Election authority on the basis of population figures of census 2011.

“Since new census has not been conducted after the 2011 census, there is no proposal of fresh delimitation of Panchayat Halqas at present. The delimitation of 77 ULBs has been taken up in pursuance to the instructions issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department. While the delimitation has been completed for 72 ULBs, it is under process for the remaining 5 ULBs,” he informed.

Regarding reservation of wards, the Chief Minister had stated, “The process of reservation or rotation of the Sarpanch or Panch wards and municipal wards can be initiated only after the OBC Commission report is approved and notified by the competent authority.”