J&K notifies authorities for hearing petitions against election of DDC chairpersons

Srinagar: Ahead of election for offices of chairperson and vice-chairperson of district development councils in J&K, the administration of the Union Territory has empowered additional commissioners of Kashmir & Jammu divisions to hear petitions against the election for these prestigious positions.
The Rural Development & Panchayati Raj department has come up with a notification to authorise additional commissioners of both the divisions to hear petitions against election of chairperson and vice-chairperson of DDCs.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 43 of the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 read with rule 108-Z0 (1) of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, the Government hereby notify additional commissioner in the office of divisional commissioner , Jammu and Kashmir, to be the authority for their respective divisions for the purposes of the Act and Rules,” reads the notification issued by the department.
The move comes as rules governing conduct of election for DDC chairpersons provide that these authorities shall be notified within 30 days of declaration of results of the polls. The results of DDC polls were declared on December 22 by the State Election Commission (SEC).
According to the rules, the appeals against election of chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be decided within seven days after receipt of the petitions.
The order passed by the notified authorities shall be final, the rules reveal.
As already reported the election for chairperson and vice-chairperson of DDCs shall be conducted through secret ballot and every candidate for the post of chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be nominated by two elected members, one as proposer and another as seconder