India, Aug. 1 -- The Central Government has directed the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to conduct Panchayat elections at the earliest. This information was revealed in a report tabled in Parliament by the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

According to the report, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) had issued an advisory in December 2024, instructing several states and Union Territories-including Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh-to conduct pending Panchayat elections in accordance with constitutional provisions.

"The Ministry has urged the states and Union Territories to take all necessary steps to hold Panchayat elections so that the democratic process is not disrupted," the report stated.

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