Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq on Thursday said that the government has decided to hold Panchayat elections on non-party basis.

Addressing a Public meeting at Lolab in Kupwara district, Minister said the Panchayat polls will be held next month and all arrangements are being made to ensure smooth elections.

He said the basic purpose of holding Panchayat elections is to bring democracy at the doorstep of the people and empower people by giving them authority to take decision themselves with regard to development of their villages.

Abdul Haq said the Panchayat institutions will act as the mini-parliaments in rural areas where people of the particular area will decide which development works are to be taken up in their village. He said these institutions will play a vibrant role in effective execution of developmental programmes by availing full benefit of the flagships schemes of the central and state government..