AJKPC Seeks Removal of Illegally ‘Nominated’ Chairpersons of DDBs

AJKPC Seeks Removal of Illegally ‘Nominated’ Chairpersons of DDBs

Nomination of Chairperson in DDBs is Void, Illegal: AJKPC

Only Elected Members of the District Should be Chairperson of DDBs: AJKPC

Jammu, 14/Dec/2015: Terming the Jammu and Kashmir government order issued by Planning and Development Department regarding nomination of Chairpersons of District Development Boards as Illegal and void, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, the leading Panchayat body of over 33,000 elected members has demanded removal of all nominated chairpersons of the District Development Boards.

Anil Sharma, President of the organization while sharing with media persons, his written submission  to the governor, informed that AJKPC has filed objection with the governor seeking removal of all  chairpersons of 20 Districts who were illegally nominated by the Jammu and Kashmir government in utter violation of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Act.

In his Plea  to governor,  Sharma has alleged that  Jammu and Kashmir Government is brutally violating the act passed by the State Legislature. As by an executive order ( Government Order no. 108-PD of 2015 dated 11-06-2015 ) the Jammu and Kashmir government have constituted the District Development Boards in every district of the state and this board is entrusted very important assignment regarding formulation of development programs for the district, to formulate plan and non-plan budget, all fund provided by the government to the district are mandatory to be  en-routed through this DDPB.  In short this District Development  and Planning Board itself is a mini model of the government and enjoys acute power and authority both finance and administrative and instead of allowing elections of the Chairpersons and vice Chairpersons, the government itself without any authority has nominated them .

  

The AJKPC president has further accused the previous and present government of the state of undermining the authority of the Panchayti Raj Institutions and not following the proper procedure of holding elections of the Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of the District Development and Planning Boards and nominating the non-members of the these boards as their Chairpersons.

He questioned the logic of the government to nominate such members as the Chairpersons of the DDBs who are not  members of the DDBs or even do not belong to the district, he has demanded that only the members representing the respective district should be elected as Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of such District body and due representation should also be given to women and SC/ST Community members.

Along with his appeal to the governor,  copies of which are also sent to the state government top functionaries including Chief Minister, Deputy Chief minister, Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Law Minister, Chief Secretary, Principle Secretary, Department of Planning and Development, Secretary Department of Law, Secretary department of Panchayati Raj and all 20 Deputy Commissioners (except DCs of Leh and Kargil), he has also submitted Copies of the Government order and copies of the Panchayati Raj Act.

The petitioner has challenged  the nomination of Chairpersons of the DDBs and have termed it as mockery of the law by the state government  “The Jammu and Kashmir government claims that constitution of these boards have been made under section 45 of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989 (amended in 2014) but this is a cruel joke and mockery of the law enacted by the State Legislature because  as per section 45 of this  Act (copy enclosed) only the members can be elected as Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and the members of these boards must include;  Chairman of the Block Development Councils of the District,  Members of Parliament representing the area ; ) Members of the State Legislature representing the areas within the District ;  Chairman of the Town Area Committees at the District ;  President of the Municipal Council, if any.  The Chairman of the Board shall be nominated by the Government from amongst the members of the District Planning and Development Board. The Vice- Chairman shall be elected by the members of the District Planning and Development Board from amongst themselves. No Government servant shall be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board.  The District Development Commissioner shall be the Chief Executive of the District Planning and Development Board. ” he has submitted.

Sharma has also hinted to adopt  Judicial Procedure if his demand of removal of nominated members is  not conceded.