17 panchs, sarpanchs have quit in J&K: Government

New Delhi: Altogether 17 panchs and sarpanchs have tendered their resignation in Jammu and Kashmir till last month, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said as per information received from the state government, till January 31, following the recent killing of a sarpanch and injury of a female panch in Sopore, 17 panchs and sarpanchs have tendered their resignation.

The Minister said earlier, 79 panchs and sarpanchs had tendered their resignation out of fear and under duress but the government has not accepted any of them. "All the panches and sarpanches who had tendered their resignation participated in the election to four legislative council seats held on December 3, 2012 and cast their vote," he said.

There are 35,000 panches and sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government said that 79 panchs and sarpanchs had earlier tendered their resignation out of fear.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)