Srinagar, March 25 -- The panchayat elections will be conducted soon in Jammu and Kashmir as some formalities are being completed, J&K cabinet minister Javed Dar said on Tuesday. Dar, who is minister for rural development, panchayat raj and elections, said, "We are ready for panchayat elections. Some formalities are needed," he told the media in North Kashmir during a visit. J&K three-tier panchayati raj system ended this February as the term of the District Development Councils (DDCs) concluded on February 24, leaving the region without any local elected grassroots representation for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The terms of panchayats and block development councils (BDCs) ended two years ago. The minister said that the government has put things into motion. "Some things have to be put in place and we are doing that. After that the local governance elections will be held," he said. Following the 2020 DDC elections, the first held after J&K became a Union territory, the Centre had frequently cited the completion of the three-tier system as a hallmark of its democratic outreach. The last panchayat elections were held in 2018 and expired in 2023, while BDC polls took place in October 2019. Despite expectations that fresh elections would be held in 2024, they were delayed citing amendment issues. While commenting on the issue of reservations, Dar said that discussions were held on the issue. "The issue of reservations is there and the government is evaluating it," he said....