Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 17: Seeking justice to the deprived Jammu region in the ongoing process of delimitation of Assembly Constituencies, chairman JKNPP and former minister Harsh Dev Singh said that nothing short of equal seats for the region shall be acceptable.
Addressing a press conference today Singh said that the meeting of the Delimitation Commission with associate members being held on December 20 was expected to end all political bias against Jammu region and provide justice to both regions by ensuring parity of Assembly seats between the two provinces. He said that the primary objective behind delimitation of Assembly Constituencies being the rectification of political imbalance in the allocation of seats, it was expected that the sentiments of various aspirational groups would be duly addressed.
Asserting that the delimitation exercise was governed mainly by the two factors namely population and geographical area, Singh called for due weightage to each of the said determinants. While Kashmir region had a slightly higher population than Jammu region, the geographical area of the latter was almost twice that of the former. If we consider the population ratio of J&K excluding Ladakh as per 2011 census, Kashmir province has marginal edge of 12% over Jammu region but as far as Geographical area of J&K UT is concerned, Jammu province has 62% of the total area of J&K comprising rough and tough terrain with poor accessibility. Therefore, collating the statistical facts Jammu region deserved higher number of Assembly seats than Kashmir”, Harsh Dev asserted.
He said that a deputation of NPP had very well apprised the Delimitation Commission about the facts during its visit to J&K earlier this year. We had submitted that there should be at least parity between the Assembly seats of both the regions. Out of proposed 90 Assembly seats to be carved and recreated in the entire UT of J&K, 45 each should be allocated to both Jammu and Kashmir regions”, Harsh divulged.
Singh said Delimitation Commission must completion exercise as already 21 months have passed. The delimitation report should be immediately put in public domain after the proposed meeting with the associate members.
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