The Delimitation Commission, which was set up in March 2020 to redraw assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), is expected to submit its final draft report to the Election Commission of India (ECI) as its extended two-month tenure ends on Friday.
Elections in J&K, which has been without an elected government since June 2018, are expected to be held after the delimitation process is over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised the restoration of the region’s statehood after the elections. J&K was stripped of its statehood and divided into two union territories in August 2019 when the Centre also nullified Constitution’s Article 370 to end the region’s semi-autonomous status.
“The commission’s tenure expires on May 6 [Friday] and it is likely to submit its report to the Election Commission of India soon,” said a J&K home department official, requesting anonymity.
The panel was given a one-year extension in 2021. Two more months were accorded to it in March this year.
Most parties in the region opposed the scrapping of J&K’s special status. They demanded statehood before delimitation and elections. The Centre rejected the demand.
Retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai-led panel was assigned the task of redrawing the constituencies following the nullification of Article 370. It held meetings in Jammu and Srinagar and stuck to its proposal for six new constituencies in Jammu and one in the Kashmir Valley. Most political parties opposed the formula. The panel’s associate members from the National Conference (NC), including former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, submitted a dissent note over it. The associate members were first presented with the formula in December. The panel has also proposed seven reserved seats for scheduled castes and nine for scheduled tribes.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted the process alleging the panel was “serving” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s interests.
NC, which distanced itself from the proceedings before re-joining it last year, argued the panel’s constitutionality is under scrutiny as a related case is pending before the Supreme Court. It maintained the process of redrawing the constituencies has been biased and unfair
The number of assembly constituencies will rise from 83 to 90 if the panel’s proposal is cleared. The Jammu region will get 43 and Kashmir 47 seats. Twenty-four seats will be kept aside for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Jammu currently has 37 and Kashmir 46 seats.
The commission on March 14 put its report in the public domain and invited objections and suggestions from people.