Supreme Court seeks centre's response on J&K delimitation move proposal

J&K delimitation move: The plea sought the declaration of increase of seats from 83 to 90 as violative of Article 81, 82, 170 and 330 & 332 of the constitution.

The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a petition challenging the delimitation move proposal. A delimitation panel has recommended increasing the assembly seats from 83 to 90 in the union territory.

The plea sought the declaration of increase of seats as violative of Article 81, 82, 170 and 330 & 332 of the constitution and Section 63 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The petition - filed by the residents of J&K - also sought a declaration that the constitution of the Delimitation Commission under the Delimitation Act 2022 is without power, jurisdiction and authority. The next hearing in the matter is slated for August 30.

Last week, a panel - tasked with redrawing of the J&K constituencies - finalised the union territory’s electoral map, concluding the controversial exercise and paving the way for elections in the region. The big move comes for the first time after the special status under Article 370 was scrapped under Article 370.

The three-member delimitation commission issued its final order, earmarking 43 seats to the Hindu-majority Jammu region and 47 to Muslim-majority Kashmir. Among the seven new seats, six are for Jammu and one for Kashmir.

However, days after the report came out, the opposition called the proposal “politically motivated”. “The Delimitation Commission has totally ignored the ground realities and neglected the convenience and aspirations of the people of different areas, widened gap of population between different constituencies ranging from 37,000 population to 1.90 lakh population, ignored the geographical, topographical situations and broadly public convenience...” a joint statement quoted the leaders as saying.

The statement was issued after the leaders of the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, and some civil society groups met earlier this week.