Disappointed, say political parties as Supreme Court scraps plea against delimitation

Almost all political parties are awaiting the first assembly elections post abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K into two UTs in J&K. However, the dates have not been given for the elections despite pleas from leaders of different political parties.

As the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed the petition challenging the process of delimitation in J&K, regional parties expressed their disappointment while the Bharatiya Janata Party said the decision has proved the process was fair.

As the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed the petition challenging the process of delimitation in J&K, regional parties expressed their disappointment while the Bharatiya Janata Party said the decision has proved the process was fair. (Sanjay Sharma)

Almost all political parties are awaiting the first assembly elections post abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K into two UTs in J&K. However, the dates have not been given for the elections despite pleas from leaders of different political parties.

Reacting to the SC verdict, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti termed the entire delimitation exercise a “process of tactical rigging” before polls. “We knew it is farce so didn’t participate in this exercise,” she told reporters in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. “For us this exercise was useless and the SC decision will not have any impact on us.”

“When the Reorganisation Act, including Article 370, is already pending before the SC, how could they give their decision on the delimitation issue,” she said.

National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the decision has left them disappointed. “We are disappointed with the judgment but there is a silver lining as the SC has not said anything adverse about our petition on its parent act, which is the J&K reorganisation act. Since this petition has been clubbed with our petition, this calls for an immediate hearing on the Abrogation of Article 370.” He, however, dared the Centre to hold polls in J&K.

PAGD spokespersons and CPI(M) general secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said the decision is another disappointment. “For us it’s unacceptable to hold the delimitation process under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. We don’t accept this.”

BJP state spokesperson Altaf Thakur said, “Some people have unnecessarily raise objections and moved to court. Today it was proved that delimitation was done properly as the petition was rejected.”

Thakur said that though the BJP also is in favour of early elections, this petition was never an impediment in holding of elections.

A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka today dismissed petitions of Srinagar residents who challenged the legality of the constitution of the delimitation commission and the subsequent process.

Reading out the operative part of the judgment, justice Oka clarified that the verdict will not have a bearing on the pending cases related to Article 370 and the consequent reorganisation of J&K into two UTs. The detailed judgment is yet to be released. The delimitation exercise was completed in June which raised the number of seats to 90 seats instead of 83 in the erstwhile state. While one seat was increased in Kashmir division, six seats were increased in Jammu division. Of the 90 seats, seven seats have been reserved for SCs and nine for STs. However there was no change in the five Lok Sabha seats of the UT.