J&K polls after delimitation of constituencies, says BJP working president Nadda

Over a month after the central government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working president JP Nadda said that elections in the state would be held after the delimitation of its constituencies.

Addressing a public gather in Mahrashtra’s Thane district on Sunday (September 15), Nadda also said that the Scheduled Tribes seats will be reserved for Gujjars and Bakarwals, reported news agency ANI.

“Jammu and Kashmir has been given the status of a Union Territory but it will also have a legislature. Elections will be held. But before that, there will be delimitation of constituencies,” said the BJP working president.

Delimitation is the process of redrawing limits or boundaries of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies. The exercise is undertaken by the Delimitation Commission and the orders of the commission can’t be questioned before any court.

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Further stating that Article 370 was the mistake of first Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Nadda said that scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was a “national commitment” of his party that was fulfilled by the Modi government.

Besides, he asserted that the global community has supported India’s stand on the Kashmir issue that it was an internal issue of the country.

“Pakistan tried to raise the issue in the United Nations Security Council but diplomats of over 100 countries supported India’s stand that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal issue of the country and will remain so,” Nadda said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to raise the Kashmir issue during his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be addressing the UNGA on the same day.

In a historic move on August 5, the Centre nullified the provision of Article 370, revoking the special status that northern state enjoyed since Independence. The state is also set to be bifurcated into two Union Territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies)

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