By Kaveesha Fernando
SRINAGAR, India (CWBN)_ Indian media reports that around 277 of the 280 representatives who were recently elected during the first-ever Jammu and Kashmir District Development Council (DDC) Polls took oaths in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this week. However, certain representatives who were under government custody were unable to take oaths.
Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner P.K. Pole stated that the DDC was another step in the direction of realizing Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of ‘Gram Swaraj’. He stated that citizens of Jammu and Kashmir can now apprise members of their constituency rather than approaching the district administration for basic amenities. Gram Swaraj was the brainchild of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. The concept focuses on converting every Indian village into an autonomous entity where self-rule and self-reliance improve the standard of living.
Last week’s results of the DDC polls saw the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of seven of the region’s political parties, win 110 of the total 280 seats being contested, making them the pre-election alliance with the largest number of seats.
Observers remain watchful of the potential post-election alliances which may be made now that the representatives have taken oaths. Experts have also been observing how PAGD’s victory will impact the state of affairs in the troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir, and if they can live up to their election promises. The historic PAGD alliance was formed in order to fight to bring back Article 370, which allowed Jammu and Kashmir limited autonomy. Jammu and Kashmir were afforded a separate constitution, flag and the freedom to make laws independently through Article 370 until India imposed federal rule in the region (reversing all of the region’s autonomy) in June last year when the government of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was reduced to a minority.
