The Delimitation Commission will arrive in Jammu & Kashmir for a four-day visit on Tuesday for talks with political parties, district officials, and other stakeholders on the ongoing process of carving out new constituencies in the region.
Former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai heads the commission that was constituted in March 2020 to redraw the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland. The commission has nearly nine months left to complete the exercise. It will also carve constituencies to be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the first time in Jammu & Kashmir.
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The delimitation issue was discussed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu & Kashmir on June 24. The Centre has sought the completion of the delimitation exercise before assembly polls are held there.
The commission will arrive in Srinagar a day after the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, a grouping of political major parties such as the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said they were disappointed over the outcome of an all-party meeting with Modi. The grouping has demanded the restoration of the region’s statehood before elections are held there. It also criticised the lack of “confidence-building measures”.
{{/usCountry}}The commission will arrive in Srinagar a day after the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, a grouping of political major parties such as the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said they were disappointed over the outcome of an all-party meeting with Modi. The grouping has demanded the restoration of the region’s statehood before elections are held there. It also criticised the lack of “confidence-building measures”.
{{/usCountry}}A five-member NC delegation will meet the commission, said the party Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi even as it earlier refused to engage with the panel.
Jammu & Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir said Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah addressed their apprehensions about the delimitation. He will meet the commission along with leaders of other recognised parties.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP remained tight-lipped whether it will be meeting the commission.
On Wednesday, the commission will visit Pahalgam to hold meetings with officials and delegations from four districts of South Kashmir--Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian. In Srinagar, the panel will hold meetings related to Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipore, Baramulla, and Kupwara districts.
The commission will travel to Kishtwar to hold discussions with officials of the Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts. On July 9, the commission will meet delegations from Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Udhampur, Samba and Reasi districts.