KN DESK; 13, May 2013: While elected panchayat members are yet to be adequately empowered two years after elections amid security concerns, sarpanches and panches have been turned into dak runners (mail carriers) in Kashmir.

Many panchayat members can be seen carrying estimates and bills of works from one official to another in various block development offices across Kashmir.

“The public representatives — panchayats members — have turned into dak runners and this aptly explains the failure of the Panchayat Raj institution in the state,” said chairman of the J&K Panchayat Conference (JKPC) Shafiq Mir.

“The panchayat members had braved the odds to ensure that the grass-roots democracy sees the light of day and two years down the line, we are feeling let down both by the state and Central governments. Instead of empowering panchayat members, they have turned many of us into dak runners,” he added.

There are over 33,000 panchayat members across the state who were elected in 2011 elections which were held in the state after a gap of over 30 years, and which saw people from rural Kashmir queuing in hordes to cast their vote.

The government too is aware about the exploitation meted out to these public representatives. The Director, Rural Development, Kashmir, Mir Altaf Ahmed, recently issued a stern warning to the officials who would be found using panchayat members as dak runners.

“ …. It should also be noted that the estimates/bills should not be passed through the panches and sarpanches as they are public representatives and it is not their job to carry estimates/bills from one office to another. The erring officer shall be responsible for any negligence and action as warranted under rules shall be taken against him in this connection,” a government order issued by the Director, Rural Development, Kashmir, said.

The government order was issued after complaints were lodged with the department saying bills were being handed over to panches and sarpanches by the officials. The Director, Rural Development, Kashmir said the order was issued to curb the practice of dispatching official documents through the panchayat members.

“It was observed the proper official procedure for dispatch of estimates and bills from one office to another was not being followed and the bills estimates were being handed over to panches and sarpanches which causes delay and sometimes loss of these critical documents occurs. So the order was issued to curb this practice,” Mir told.

Panchayat elections
* The panchayat polls were held in 2011 in the state after a gap of over 30 years
* More than 80 per cent turnout was recorded in these polls and over 33,000 panches and sarpanches were elected across the state
* After the election, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated people for voting and showing faith in democracy. The United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi termed the voter percentage as a “befitting reply” to Pakistan
* Since the panchayat elections, six panchayat members have been shot dead by suspected rebels and many have got injured.