[Panchayati Raj Act] Govt Projects Don't Require Mandatory Prior Consultation With Panchayats: Jammu and Kashmir High Court

In a significant judgment concerning the interpretation of the Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has held that prior consultation with the Halqa Panchayat is not a legal requirement for the issuance of government tenders for development works carried out on state-owned land. Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, who presided over the matter, ruled that the absence of consultation with Panchayat Halqa…