Delimitation Commission signs final order for J&K; recommends representations for Kashmiri Pandits
By Team Newsable | First Published May 5, 2022, 5:10 PM ISTThe Commission is led by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, and its ex-officio members include chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and deputy election commissioner Chander Bhushan Kumar, as well as state election commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma and chief electoral officer Hridesh Kumar.
The committee tasked with redrawing the electoral map of Jammu and Kashmir notified and submitted its long-awaited final report on Thursday. The conclusion of the contentious delimitation process would clear the way for assembly elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Since June 2018, the former state has been without an elected government.
For the first time, all five parliamentary seats will have an equal number of assembly constituencies. Nine seats have been set aside for Scheduled Tribes (ST), marking yet another first for the former state. Of the 90 assembly constituencies, 43 will be in Jammu and 47 in Kashmir. For the purposes of delimitation, Jammu and Kashmir have been viewed as a single entity. The total number of assembly seats in Jammu has increased from 37 to 43.
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The commission has suggested that Kashmiri migrants and displaced individuals from Pakistan-occupied J&K be given extra seats in the legislature.
The Commission is led by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, and its ex-officio members include chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and deputy election commissioner Chander Bhushan Kumar, as well as state election commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma and chief electoral officer Hridesh Kumar. On Independence Day in 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that elections will be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir after the Union Territory's delimitation process was completed.
Also Read | Delimitation Commission proposes six seats for Jammu, one for Kashmir
Home Minister Amit Shah recently stated that polls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir once the delimitation process was completed. Political parties have identified severe faults in the delimitation process, which might have long-term and catastrophic consequences for democracy in the region. Regional political groups have criticised the delimitation plan, claiming that the borders of seats were changed just to assist the BJP in achieving its political goals.
In July of last year, the Delimitation Commission visited Jammu and Kashmir to meet with political leaders and civil society organisations and solicit feedback on the effort to redesign electoral seats in the union territory. The decision to visit Jammu and Kashmir was made during a meeting of the panel in June at the Election Commission's office in Delhi.
Also Read | Outcome pre-planned: PDP writes to Delimitation Commission, to stay away from proceedings in J&K
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