Delimitation panels signs its final report
Delimitation panels signs its final report
Panels proposes 90 seats in J&K, 9 reserved for ST
Press Trust of Kashmir | Srinagar : The Delimitation Commission on Thursday signed it’s final report and in report the number of assembly seats in J&K has been increased from 83 to 90 .
The three-member Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir is headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, on Thursday signed the final order on redrawing the assembly constituencies.
The commission has proposed increasing the number of seats in the UT from 83 to 90 and for the first time, nine seats have been proposed for Schedules Tribes.
The panel has also proposed six additional seats for Jammu and one for Kashmir. As of now, the Kashmir division has 46 seats and the Jammu division 37.
Formed in March 2020, the panel was granted a one-year extension last year.
In February, it was again given a two-month extension to complete its task. Its term was to otherwise end on March 6.
The draft report of the commission that was made public few months ago has caused a huge controversy after the opposition alleged gerrymandering to help BJP and turning demographic majority into a political minority in several areas.
The commission has not made any substantial changes, except changing proposed names of some constituencies in the final report.
The completion of the delimitation process will pave the wave for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The former state is without an elected government since June 2018.
Home Minister Amit Shah recently said elections would be held in Jammu and Kashmir after completion of the delimitation process.
Political parties have pointed serious flaws in the delimitation process, which may have long-term and serious repercussions for democracy in the region.
For example, while redrawing parliament seats, the commission has merged Poonch and Rajouri districts, which were part of Jammu parliament constituency with Anantnag parliament constituency in south Kashmir.:-PTK.
