By holding the by-elections before the end of this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government intends to fill vacancies in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), District Development Councils (DDCs), and Panchayats while the concerned Departments have identified the vacancies.
After a five-year term, elections for urban local bodies and panchayats are due in November–December 2023; in contrast, the terms of DDCs will expire in January 2026.
After meeting with State Election Commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma today, Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, Dheeraj Gupta, subsequently informed that his Department intended to hold by-elections to fill the vacant positions in Municipal Bodies. Gupta stated, “Vacancies have been identified.”
There have been hints that by-elections may be held following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Electoral Rolls on October 31 if allowed by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The by-elections to Municipal bodies, DDCs, and Panchayats can be held concurrently if the Election Commission of India agrees to hold Assembly elections in the Union Territory in November or December. The by-elections can still be held even if the Assembly elections are postponed, according to sources.
The Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats have a lot of vacancies  and number of vacancies in the District Development Councils and Block Development Councils, however, is very low. Due to the lack of candidates, mostly in the ULBs and Panchayats, some vacancies have occurred since the elections in November and December 2018. Other vacancies were caused as a result of resignations and other reasons including death of a few candidates. As per the constitutional provisions, vacancies have to be filled up through by-elections.
