Jammu

Former senior bureaucrat Shantmanu on Saturday assumed charge as the State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Jammu and Kashmir for a five-year term, underlining the urgency of conducting the long-overdue panchayat and urban local body elections in the Union Territory.

The oath of office was administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan here.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with members of his cabinet, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, attended the event. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat were also present.

Speaking to PTI after taking charge, Shantmanu described the occasion as one of “great pride and responsibility” and said his immediate focus would be on strengthening grassroots democratic institutions.

Referring to the delay in holding panchayat and municipal elections, he said these polls are a cornerstone of democratic governance and essential for decentralised administration and development at the grassroots level.

“Local body elections play a vital role in our democratic system. Given that these elections have not taken place for quite some time, their conduct assumes even greater importance,” he said.

Expressing commitment to his new role, the former IAS officer said he would discharge his duties with full dedication and in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions.

The terms of municipal councils in Jammu and Kashmir ended in October–November 2023, while panchayats and block development councils completed their five-year tenure on January 9, 2024. With the district development councils set to complete their term on February 24, the Union Territory is poised to be left without any elected local bodies.

Officials said the delay in conducting elections was caused by multiple factors, including the delimitation of constituencies and the process of reserving wards for Other Backward Classes.

Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had stated that his government was prepared to hold the elections at the earliest, but the vacancy in the post of State Election Commissioner had been a key impediment.

Under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act and the relevant municipal laws, the State Election Commission is empowered to prepare electoral rolls and conduct elections for local bodies.

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Shantmanu, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, was appointed as State Election Commissioner on February 17 for a term of five years or until attaining the age of 70, whichever is earlier. He succeeds B R Sharma, who completed his tenure in April 2024.