District Development Council

2021-12-16T15:26:47Z

45.249.85.226:

{{short description|Indian political system}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2020}}
A '''District Development Council''' (abbreviated as '''DDC'''), is a form of [[Local government in India|elected local government]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] facilitated by the [[Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989]] and created under Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rule, 1996 of the [[constitution of India]]. They are primarily aimed at electing the members from the rural and urban areas for the [[District Planning Committee]] and the councils themselves with fourteen members from [[List of districts of Jammu and Kashmir|each district]] for speedy development and economic upliftment.<ref name="civilsdaily.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-are-district-development-councils-ddcs/|title=What are District Development Councils (DDCs)? – Civilsdaily|website=www.civilsdaily.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Staff Writer|date=2020-12-26|title=J-K people came out and voted for development: PM Modi on DDC elections|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/j-k-people-came-out-and-voted-for-development-pm-modi-on-ddc-elections-11608974300708.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=mint|language=en}}</ref>

Each council is headed by an [[Deputy Collector|additional district development commissioner]] (Additional D. C.) as an [[chief executive officer]] and the chairperson of the council representing the district. It works at district-level for the term of five years until new DDC elections are announced or held. It also replaced District Planning and Development Boards (DDB), which was implemented in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir]] in 1954 to perform its functions such as formulation of periodic and annual plans for the development of a district.<ref name="civilsdaily.com"/>

== Background ==
District Development Councils were first introduced by the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] on 16 October 2020, fourteen months after the [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked]] by the [[parliament of India]] on 5 August 2019, leading the [[government of India]] to limit the powers of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]] and to run the union territory under the union government's rule administered by a [[List of lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir|lieutenant governor]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rashid|first=Hakeem Irfan|title=ET in the classroom: All about J&K's District Development Council polls|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/et-in-the-classroom-all-about-jks-district-development-council-polls/articleshow/79219923.cms|via=The Economic Times}}</ref>

DDCs supervises, implement, sponsor and prepare for five main fields such as [[welfare]], health, education, [[finance]], [[public works]] and development intended to ensure the [[community development]] of a representing district.

=== DDCs before 2020 elections ===
DDCs have been existent in Jammu and Kashmir before the 2020 elections in the form of District Planning and Development Boards, but their members were not elected and rather selected by the state government of the erstwhile state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. In 2020, [[Government of India]] decided to hold elections to these councils in order to bring more democracy at the [[Panchayati raj]] level and have its members more accountable to the people.

=== 2020 DDC elections ===
The first DDC [[Elections in Jammu and Kashmir|election]]s in the [[history of Jammu and Kashmir]] were held from 28 November 2020 in eight phases across the two-hundred and eighty DDC constituencies. [[People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration]] (PAGD) won 110 seats while BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 75 seats.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=23 December 2020|title=DDC elections results {{!}} J&K DDC poll result: PAGD wins 110 seats, BJP 75; counting deferred in 2 seats as candidates belong to PoK|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/blog/jammu-and-kashmir-district-development-council-election-results-jk-ddc-poll-results-check-here/491|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-30|website=Times Now News|language=en}}</ref> But later on 19 January, the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference|JKPC]] left the PAGD, which brought down the PAGD's seat tally from 110 to 102, as JKPC had won 8 seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/sajad-lones-peoples-conference-exits-farooq-abdullah-led-gupkar-alliance/article33610202.ece|title=Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference exits Farooq Abdullah-led Gupkar alliance|website=frontline.thehindu.com|date=2021-01-19|access-date=2021-01-19}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ 2020 Jammu & Kashmir DDC Election Detailed Results
|-
! colspan="2"|Alliance
! colspan="2"|Party
! Seats
! +/-
! %
|-
|rowspan="6" bgcolor="{{party color|People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration}}"|
!rowspan="6"|[[People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration|PAGD]]
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}}"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|JKNC]]
|67
|{{increase}} 67
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party}}"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Party|JKPDP]]
|27
|{{increase}} 27
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}"|
|[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]
|5
|{{increase}} 5
|
|-
|bgcolor="green"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement|JKPM]]
|3
|{{increase}} 3
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference}}"|
|[[Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference|JKANC]]
|0
|{{steady}}
|
|-
!rowspan="8" colspan="2" | None
|bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}"|
|[[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
|75
|{{increase}} 75
|
|-
|bgcolor="grey"|
|[[Independent Politician|Independents]]
|50
|{{increase}} 50
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}"|
|[[Indian National Congress|INC]]
|26
|{{increase}} 26
|
|-
|bgcolor="Red"|
|[[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party|JKAP]]
|12
|{{increase}} 12
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference}}"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir People's Conference|JKPC]]
|8
|{{increase}} 8
|
|-
|bgcolor="gold"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Front (Secular)|JKPDF(S)]]
|2
|{{increase}} 2
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party}}"|
|[[Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party|JKNPP]]
|2
|{{increase}} 2
|
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Bahujan Samaj Party}}"|
|[[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]]
|1
|{{increase}} 1
|
|-
|colspan=4 |'''Total'''
|278/280
|{{increase}} 278
|51.76%
|}

Some of the opposition's leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were arrested under [[Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978|detention laws]] prior to the elections.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fareed|first=Rifat|title=Key Kashmir political leaders arrested by India since August 5|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/8/17/key-kashmir-political-leaders-arrested-by-india-since-august-5|access-date=2020-12-22|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref>

The counting of votes in two DDC constituencies has been kept in abeyance as two of the candidates in them are reportedly from Pakistani administered [[Azad Kashmir]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=counting deferred in 2 seats as candidates belong to PoK|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/blog/jammu-and-kashmir-district-development-council-election-results-jk-ddc-poll-results-check-here/491|access-date=2020-12-23|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en}}</ref>

==== DDC Chairman ====
Every DDC consists of a DDC Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The elections for this post in each DDC began from 6 February 2021 till 20 February 2021. Since each DDC has 14 members, the winning candidate requires the support of minimum 8 DDC members in that council. The election for this post also requires quorum which is minimum of 10 members for the election to take place.

==== Defections of elected candidates ====
The elected members of DDC defected from one party to another as the process of voting for the post of DDC Chairman and Vice-Chairman began. 2 elected DDC members from [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] left the party and joined [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]]. Apart from this several independent DDC members also joined [[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]] before the voting for DDC Chairman had begun.

== Composition ==
DDC works jointly with District Planning Committee (DPC) and [[Block Development Council]] from each district. A council consists of fourteen members elected from the [[Rural area|countryside]] and also from the [[Urban area|built-up area]]s where needed or approved by the [[Election Commission of India]]. Its chairperson and vice-chairperson are selected by its members; however all the elected members, including chairperson and vice-chairperson are literally headed by a government revenue officer such as [[Deputy Collector|additional district development commissioner]].<ref name="indianexpress.com">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/district-development-councils-jammu-and-kashmir-why-parties-think-they-will-kill-politics-in-the-ut-6789839/|title=District Development Councils (DDC): Why parties think this new layer of governance will kill politics in J&K|date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>

Since it works jointly with the other committees or councils, a jurisdiction's DDC consists of a [[member of parliament]], member of state legislator, chairperson of [[town hall]] or [[municipal committee]], and the president of a [[municipal corporation]].<ref name="indianexpress.com"/>

==DDC Chairpersons==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#cfc; text-align:center;"
!S.No
!'''District'''
!'''Chairperson'''
!'''Vice-Chairperson'''
!'''Political Party'''
!'''Alliance'''
!'''Reference(s)'''
|-
|1
| [[Srinagar]]
|Aftab Malik
|Bilal Ahmad
| rowspan="2"|[[Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party]]
|rowspan="11"|Nil
|<ref>{{Cite news|title=DDC chairperson election: PAGD faces defeat in Sgr as AP candidates emerge victorious|url=https://thechenabtimes.com/2021/02/06/ddc-chairperson-election-pagd-faces-defeat-in-sgr-as-ap-candidates-emerge-victorious/|date=6 Feb 2021|publisher=The Chenab Times|access-date=6 Feb 2021}}</ref>
|-
|2
|[[Shopian]]
|Bilquees Bano
|Irfan Manhas
|
|-
|3
|[[Jammu]]
|Bharat Bhushan
|Suraj Singh
| rowspan="6"|[[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|
|-
|4
|[[Kathua]]
|Col (Retd) Mahan Singh
|Raghunandan Singh
|<ref name="Dainik Jagran 2021">{{cite web | title=निर्विरोध चुने गए कर्नल महान सिंह डीडीसी के चेयरमैन | website=Dainik Jagran | date=2021-02-07 | url=https://www.jagran.com/jammu-and-kashmir/kathua-kathua-nwes-mahan-singh-elected-unopposed-chairman-of-ddc-21344009.html | language=hi | access-date=2021-03-06}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[Doda district|Doda]]
|Dhananter Singh Kotwal
|Sangeeta Bhagat
|
|-
|6
|[[Reasi district|Reasi]]
|Saraf Singh Nag
| Sajra Qadir (IND.)
|
|-
|7
|[[Samba, Jammu and Kashmir|Samba]]
|Keshav Dutt Sharma
|Balwan Singh
|
|-
|8
|[[Udhampur district|Udhampur]]
|Lal Chand Bhagat
|Juhi Singh Manhas
|
|-
|9
|[[Budgam district|Budgam]]
|Nazir Ahmad Khan
|Nazir Jahara (NC)
| rowspan="2"|[[Independent politician]]
|
|-
|10
|[[Poonch district, India|Poonch]]
|Tazeem Akhter
|Md Ashfaq
|
|-
|11
|[[Baramulla]]
|Safina Baig
|Sanaullah Parray
| rowspan="2"|[[Jammu & Kashmir People's Conference]]
|
|-
|12
|[[Kupwara district|Kupwara]]
|Irfan Panditpuri
|Haji Md Farooq
|
|-
|13
|[[Kishtwar district|Kishtwar]]
|Pooja Thakur
|Saima Parveen (INC)
| rowspan="6"|[[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]]
|rowspan="8"|[[People's Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration]]
|
|-
|14
|[[Ganderbal district|Ganderbal]]
|Nuzhat Ishfaq
|Bilal Sheikh (PDP)
|
|-
|15
|[[Anantnag]]
|Yousuf Gorsi
|Javaid Ahmad (PDP)
|
|-
|16
|[[Bandipore district|Bandipore]]
|Abdul Gani Bhat
|Kounser Shafeeq (PDP)
|
|-
|17
|[[Ramban district|Ramban]]
|Dr. Shamshada Bano
|Rabia Hamid (IND.)
|
|-
|18
|[[Rajouri district|Rajouri]]
|Naseem Liaqat
|Shabir Khan (INC)
|
|-
|19
|[[Pulwama district|Pulwama]]
|Syed Bari Andrabi
|Mukhtar Ahmad (NC)
|[[Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party]]
|
|-
|20
|[[Kulgam district|Kulgam]]
|Mohd Afzal Parray
|Shazia Jan (NC)
|[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
|<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ashiq|first=Peerzada|date=2021-02-06|title=BJP-Apni Party combine dents Gupkar Alliance’s DDC prospects|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/apni-party-wins-chairpersons-post-in-2-of-three-dist-development-councils-pagd-one/article33769695.ece|access-date=2021-02-21|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|}

== Functions ==
* To formulate, prepare, approve a plan or [[capital expenditure]] for respective districts
* To organize general meetings after every three months designed to suggest a new plan or to process pending plans
* To supervise the activities of [[gram panchayat]]s, Block Development Council and [[panchayat samiti]] in its own jurisdiction at district-level
* To utilize the [[Public expenditure|development aid]] or [[Funding|government fund]]s for the development of an entire district
* To implement the [[List of Union Government schemes in India|schemes sponsored by the government of India]]
* To receive the district development plans compiled and formulated by the Block Development Council and submit it to the District Planning Committee "for adherence to the government [[guideline]]s, [[Social norm|norm]]s and rules"<ref name="indianexpress.com"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web | title=J&K goes to DDC polls, first time after Article 370 abrogation. All you need to know | website=Hindustan Times | date=2020-11-28 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ddc-elections-live-updates-j-k-goes-to-polls-first-time-after-article-370-abrogation-all-you-need-to-know/story-wpY7hUJlZQ9XuQJ47OmHHI.html | ref={{sfnref | Hindustan Times | 2020}} | access-date=2020-12-04}}

{{Local government in India}}

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[[Category:Elections in Jammu and Kashmir]]
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District Development Council