JAMMU: The three-member Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday signed the final order on redrawing the assembly constituencies of the union territory, a day before its term was to end, according to officials.
The panel, headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Desai, has proposed to increase the number of seats in the UT from 83 to 90. It has proposed six new constituencies for Jammu division and one for Kashmir. As of now, the Kashmir division has 46 seats and the Jammu division 37.
Besides these constituencies, there are 24 seats in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir that continue to remain vacant.
For the first time, nine seats have been proposed for scheduled tribes.
The panel has proposed increasing the number of Assembly seats of Jammu from 37 to 43 while increasing 1 seat in the valley. Currently, Kashmir has 45 constituencies. One extra seat will be carved out from Kupwara district.
For the first time, 9 constituencies have been proposed for Scheduled Tribes, which means that this seat will be reserved for backward candidates only.
The commission has proposed raising the total number of seats from 83 to 90. Besides, there are 24 seats in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that continue to remain vacant.
The commission was granted a year extension last year and got its second extension for 2 months, this February.
National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, two of Jammu and Kashmir’s leading political parties, had earlier expressed displeasure at the panel’s draft report.
Former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was quoted as saying by NDTV, “The delimitation exercise is done for furtherance of BJP agenda. The commission has shown no regard to law and Constitution. Particularly, the majority community, be it in Rajouri, Kashmir, or Chinab valley have been disempowered. In a sense they have been disenfranchised.”
“The NC summarily rejects draft working paper made available by Delimitation Commission to associate members on February 4. A detailed response will follow after the party has had time to discuss the implications of what has been proposed,” party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar was earlier quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Appreciating the panel’s draft proposal in February, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s J&K unit chief Ravinder Raina told PTI at the time, “The Delimitation Commission has done a commendable job. They have gone through the length and breadth and met different political parties besides leaders of various social and religious organisations and panchayati raj institution members, including district and block development council members, before coming out with a draft proposal.”
