‘Neither delimitation nor elections in J&K’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 12: Alleging subversion of democracy in J&K post Article 370 abrogation, NPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh today said that BJP led Govt appeared to be averse to the idea of holding Assembly elections in the new set up.
He said while no initiative had been taken to restore popular rule in J&K, the BJP Govt seemed to be least bothered about holding delimitation in the newly created UT. This was evident from the disregard for the said issue in the successive sessions of Parliament held after the re-organization of the State, Singh said while addressing a press conference here.
“While the BJP leadership was creating a lot of `jangle and rattle’ over the issue of delimitation and increase of seats for Jammu, the fact remained that it failed to initiate any action in respect thereof despite lapse of more than six months after the conversion of State into UTs,” Singh observed.
“No move was initiated to bring the necessary amendments in the relevant laws for holding the delimitation exercise in J&K during the past three sessions of parliament including Monsoon session, winter session and the recent Budget session,” Singh lamented.
He said that with delimitation denied, political process having been rendered defunct in J&K and political parties discredited and discouraged, the Centre seemed to be hell bent to continue its proxy rule in the erstwhile Dogra State. He said that Election Commission had earlier taken a call for simultaneous polls of Assembly & Parliament which however, did not materialize. Statements of early Assembly polls were issued by Central Govt, Governor and the Lt Governor also, which too created only cynicism amongst the masses.
Pointing towards euphoria created post Article 370 abrogation in the name of fresh delimitation of Assembly constituencies, Singh said that it too had petered out with the Centre maintaining a studied silence over the issue. He said that even otherwise, Delimitation exercise can’t be held in J&K in view of a provision incorporated in J&K Reorganization Act by virtue of Section 63 which emphatically rules out delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the UT of J&K until after the first census taken after the year 2026. He said till the J&K’s Reorganization Act was amended by both Houses of Parliament, no delimitation could take place in J&K.
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