J&K delimitation panel gets two month extension beyond March 6
The delimitation commission, set up in March 2020 by the Centre to redraw the constituencies of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, has been granted a two month extension by the Centre on Tuesday (February 22). The delimitation commission’s term was slated to end on March 6 this year.
Former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai heads the panel, with chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and J&K poll panel chief KK Sharma being the other members. In the backdrop of protests by political parties against the draft proposals of the delimitation panel, the Centre has issued a note to extend the delimitation commission’s tenure by two more months, said media reports.
The draft proposals of the delimitation panel, which were shared with the five associate members (three from the National Conference and two from the BJP, who are all Lok Sabha MPs from the UT), have evoked strong protests by the mainstream political parties in J&K, including the BJP.
J&K BJP chief Ravindra Raina had admitted that there were flaws in the draft proposal, but assured that it would be rectified. He recalled that the panel, during its visit to J&K, had met all political parties and elected representatives of panchayats, who had given their suggestions.
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According to Raina, after over two years of their exercise, the panel drew up a draft report and gave it to associate members, asking them to file their suggestions and objections by February 14. The BJP MPs Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore have studied it, and people have raised objections to it. He added that they were listening to grievances and will take it to the panel and get them addressed.
The J&K delimitation commission has proposed the creation of seven new Assembly segments and the redrawing of the boundaries of some others in its second draft report. Six of the new constituencies are proposed to be in the Jammu region, while one will be in Kashmir.
The National Conference rejected the report and said that the recommendations were unconstitutional. It had said that the delimitation proposal had ignored historical aspects, population ratio of assembly segments, and geography.
J& K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha meanwhile defended the draft report stating that the delimitation commission was constituted by the Parliament and those dissatisfied had the right to raise objections.
“Constitution guarantees freedom to all the citizens and those not satisfied with panel’s proposals should lodge their reservations. And, if associate members have any objections to the draft report, they can also lodge their reservations,” Sinha said, according to media reports.
