JOIN USDelimitation Commission holds meeting with J&K DCs
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with leaders of political parties in Jammu & Kashmir, the Delimitation Commission on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with all 20 deputy commissioners (DCs) of the Union Territory with regard to delimitation of assembly constituencies.
The meeting with the DCs, who are also district election officers, was held in two batches in which deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bushan Kumar took note of the issues - both administrative as well as topographic - in the districts.
“The DCs informed the Commission about the administrative difficulties faced by them with respect to the assembly constituencies. The Commission sought detailed data on demographics from the DCs,” a senior official, who was part of the meeting, said.
The exercise gains significance as it was held a day before PM Modi’s scheduled meeting with political leaders of J&K at his residence in the national capital at 3pm on Thursday.
Sources said the Commission will hold a meeting with political parties in J&K soon to discuss the delimitation process. The Commission was set up by the central government on 6 March 2020, to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies as per the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019.
However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Commission couldn’t visit J&K so far. In February this year, the Commission, headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai, held a meeting with its associated members in New Delhi.
However, only two associate members – BJP MPs Jugal Kishor Sharma and Jatiendra Singh – attended the meeting, while the three National Conference MPs – Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Akbar Lone – boycotted it on the plea that the J&K Reorganization Act 2019 was “unconstitutional” and under judicial scrutiny.
The last Assembly in J&K was dissolved by then governor in November 2018 months after the Mehbooba Mufti-headed government in the erstwhile state fell, following the BJP withdrawing support to it in June that year.
Though Parliament elections in J&K were held in April-May 2019 with the rest of the country, the Assembly polls were deferred “due to security reasons". The elections to the Assembly of the UT of J&K will be held only after the process of delimitation is completed.