Jammu and Kashmir : The five-year term of all 20 District Development Councils (DDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir came to an end today, marking the cessation of the third and final tier of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the Union Territory. With the completion of the DDCs’ tenure, all three tiers of local self-governance—Panchayats, Block Development Councils (BDCs), and DDCs—have now ceased to exist.
The DDCs, established for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, comprised 20 councils corresponding to the 20 districts of the Union Territory—10 each in the Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Each DDC had 14 elected members, with a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson elected from among them, making a total strength of 280 elected representatives.
Earlier, the terms of Panchayats and Block Development Councils concluded on January 9, 2024, while the Municipalities completed their tenure during October–November 2023.
Official sources stated that capital expenditure amounting to approximately ₹2,000 crore was incurred through the DDCs during their tenure. However, it remains unclear whether these funds will now be directly spent by the Rural Development Department, as the Government has already clarified that the powers of the DDCs are not being delegated to any alternative body. Concerns have also been raised regarding the continuation of Central Government grants specifically earmarked for PRIs in the absence of elected local bodies.
In the Jammu region, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held the Chairperson positions in six DDCs, while the National Conference (NC) led three DDCs. An Independent Chairperson headed the Poonch DDC. The BJP-led DDCs included Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, and Doda districts, while the NC headed Rajouri, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts.
The conduct of fresh elections to local bodies does not appear imminent. The office of the State Election Commissioner (SEC), responsible for conducting elections to State Election Commissioner remained defunct for over 10 months. Recently, retired IAS officer Shri Shantmanu was appointed as the new SEC and assumed office a few days ago.
Following the extension of reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by the Central Government, a Commission headed by Justice (Retd) Janak Raj Kotwal was constituted to recommend the percentage of OBC reservation in PRIs. The Commission submitted its report on February 27, 2025; however, the Government is yet to take a decision on its recommendations. Officials indicated that once the OBC reservation percentage is finalized, it would necessitate the rotation of reserved seats, further delaying elections.
The District Development Councils were first notified in 2020, with elections held during November–December 2020. The councils were formally constituted in January–February 2021 and have completed their full five-year term today.
