Kashmiri Pandits may get 2 seats in J&K assembly on delimitation panel's advice

The Parliament may give its assent to the recommendations made by the Delimitation commission regarding the representation of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) and displaced residents of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in the Assembly of the Union Territory. The commission’s report will be tabled in the Parliament shortly.

The elections in J&K had been long overdue, and the Centre had been talking about holding them soon.

The panel has recommended reservation of at least two seats for Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) and nomination of a few seats for the PoJK displaced. The exact number for the latter should be decided shortly, sources informed, adding that the Centre is considering at least four nominations for the displaced community.

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The Commission has suggested nominating two KP migrants – including a woman — to the Assembly, along with voting rights.

The commission comprises Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, J&K’s State Election Commissioner K K Sharma as members and is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai.

The J&K Constitution, legislated in 1956, had reserved 24 seats that represented the PoJK residents in the Assembly, but these seats were not contested during state elections. The Government of India reserved the 24 seats in the Assembly of Union Territory of J&K when it repealed the Constitution in August 2019. It also retained provisions related to the PoJK.

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Of the total 114 seats in the current Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the government will hold elections for only 90 constituencies. Of these, 47 seats are in Kashmir division while 43 in Jammu region. The remaining 24 seats have been reserved for PoJK refugees.