Jammu, March 17: The Jammu & Kashmir unit of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) strongly opposed the proposed panchayat elections in the region on Tuesday, urging the administration to first conduct a fresh census and carry out transparent delimitation before proceeding with the polls.
At a press conference held at the party office, State President Manish Sahni criticized the plan to hold elections based on 2011 Census data, calling it "completely inappropriate" and insufficient for ensuring fair representation. He stressed that updated population figures are essential for proper reservation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other local rights.
Sahni also took a firm stance against including non-local individuals as voters or candidates in panchayat and local body elections, emphasizing that only valid domicile holders should have electoral rights. "First conduct a fresh census, then hold elections," he said, asserting that the party would fight at every level to protect the dignity and rights of Jammu's residents.
He noted that while the people of Jammu had supported the abrogation of Article 370 in the national interest, many now feel betrayed by the administration's approach.
Other senior party leaders present at the press conference included Sanjeev Kohli, Raj Singh, Sanjay Bhatt, Aditya Mahajan, and Raju Chaudhary.
The party reiterated its demand that panchayat polls must uphold local rights and the Dogra identity, warning that it will not compromise on these issues.