JAMMU — The Election Commission of India has directed Jammu and Kashmir to prepare for a Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, a move set to delay long-overdue Panchayat and Urban Local Body polls. Officials said the exercise will begin in April 2026, after harsh winter conditions ease in the region.

ECI sent letters to chief electoral officers in 17 states and five union territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, urging immediate preparatory work. The process requires all registered voters to submit fresh forms verifying their eligibility. Those unable to link their names to rolls from the last intensive revision two decades ago must provide citizenship proof.

The SIR rollout mirrors a pilot in Bihar last year. It targets Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana and Uttarakhand.

Local body tenures in Jammu and Kashmir expired over a year ago. Municipal bodies ended their terms in November 2023, Panchayats followed in January 2024. District Development Councils face expiration on February 24, with no clear timeline for replacements.

Past delays stemmed from security issues, incomplete Other Backward Classes reservations and a vacant State Election Commissioner post. The recent appointment of former IAS officer Shantmanu offered brief hope for April or May polls this year. ECI’s SIR decision overrides that.

In neighboring Ladakh, Chief Electoral Officer Konchok Stanzin kicked off preparations. He met district election officers and deputy commissioners from Leh and Kargil, plus electoral registration and deputy election officers. The group mapped logistics and contingency plans for the 2026 revision.

Stanzin stressed training for Booth Level Officers and Agents. He pushed publicity for ECI Net and the ‘Book a Call to BLO’ tool. District officers received orders to consult political party reps at district, tehsil and polling station levels.

Later, Stanzin briefed party representatives: Gurmet Dorje of Indian National Congress, Iftiquer Ali of Bharatiya Janata Party and Sayeed Raza of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. He detailed SIR requirements and urged quick appointment of Booth Level Agents for joint training with officers. Parties got a rundown on digital tools and were told to boost public awareness.

Officials assured open channels for queries. Engagement with CEO, DEO, ERO, AERO and BLO offices will continue, they said. The process aims for clean, updated rolls ahead of any elections.

Jammu and Kashmir’s polls have dragged since the 2019 reorganization into a union territory. Voters await representation at grassroots levels. ECI’s focus on accuracy through SIR highlights priorities, even as tenures lapse.