NEW DELHI: The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir held its first meeting on Thursday to seek suggestion/views on the process of delimitation in respect of the union territory.
An overview on the process of delimitation based on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 and Delimitation Act, 2002 was presented before the members.
The meeting of the commission was attended by two of the five associated members – Union minister Jitendra Singh and BJP leader and MP from Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma.
The two members appreciated the commission’s efforts and suggested that delimitation of constituencies should be practicable. They also said that regard should be given to physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facilities of communication and public convenience.
The members suggested that special attention should be given to the difficult terrains while carrying out the delimitation exercise.
The other three associated member of the commission – National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Hasnain Masoodi – skipped the meeting. They had already informed Delimitation Commission chairperson Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai in a letter about their inability to be present for the meeting.
They also urged Justice Desai to go ahead with the delimitation process as the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 is under judicial scrutiny.
“In our view, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 is palpably unconstitutional and has been enacted in disregard and violation of mandate and spirit of the Constitution of India and therefore not to be acted upon,” the MPs said in the letter.
The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir was constituted by the Centre on March 6 last year to redraw Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the union territory in accordance with the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which bifurcated the state into union territories of J&K and Ladakh.
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir came into being on October 31, 2019 after the state was reorganised. (AGENCY)
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