<p>While assuring that redrawing of assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will be done in a transparent manner, the Delimitation Commission on Friday said its final report would be based on the 2011 Census.</p>.<p>“The delimitation process of J&K is a very complex issue and not a mathematical exercise. The process will be completed in a very transparent manner and the draft report will be put in a public domain for objections and queries,” Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said, after the three-member panel completed its four-day consultation tour of J&K.</p>.<p>He said though the population forms the base for delimitation, “the Commission shall take into account constituencies’ practicality, geographical compatibility, topography, physical features and means of communication available.”</p>.<p>However, he clarified that 24 seats reserved for Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) would not be delimited in this process. The BJP has been demanding de-freezing of one-third of seats reserved for the PoJK for the refugees living in Jammu.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/panorama/jk-delimitation-bjp-s-plan-for-hindu-cm-in-state-and-its-benefits-in-2024-1006143.html" target="_blank">J&K delimitation: BJP’s plan for Hindu CM in state, and its benefits in 2024</a></strong></p>.<p>The Chief Election Commissioner said the commission will also specify the number of seats to be reserved for the SC (Schedule Caste) and the ST (Schedule Tribe) in J&K Assembly. It will be for the first time that seats will be reserved for the ST in J&K.</p>.<p>He said in the past four days, the Commission met 290 groups in Srinagar, Pahalgam, Kishtwar and Jammu comprising 800 people. “There was an overwhelming response and people travelled from long distances to meet us. A draft report will be prepared and after that it will be in the public domain for a consensus. Only after that, the final draft will be prepared,” he said.</p>.<p>Asked about PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s allegation that delimitation was already a pre-planned exercise and the final report was ready, the Commission head Justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai assured that the exercise will be transparent in nature and there should be no fears and doubts.</p>.<p>Assembly seats in J&K were earlier delimited in 1963, 1973 and 1995. The last delimitation exercise was conducted in J&K under President’s rule in 1995 by the retired Justice K.K. Gupta Commission. The next exercise was due in 2005, but in 2002, then state government chose to freeze delimitation until 2026. The decision was in line with the pan-India freeze on delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies till the first census after 2026.</p>.<p>However, as the August 5, 2019 decision annulled J&K’s constitution, the freeze on delimitation till 2026 also became irrelevant. In fact, J&K Reorganisation Act, which came into force on October 31, 2019, mandates delimitation of constituencies in the UT.</p>
<p>While assuring that redrawing of assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will be done in a transparent manner, the Delimitation Commission on Friday said its final report would be based on the 2011 Census.</p>.<p>“The delimitation process of J&K is a very complex issue and not a mathematical exercise. The process will be completed in a very transparent manner and the draft report will be put in a public domain for objections and queries,” Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said, after the three-member panel completed its four-day consultation tour of J&K.</p>.<p>He said though the population forms the base for delimitation, “the Commission shall take into account constituencies’ practicality, geographical compatibility, topography, physical features and means of communication available.”</p>.<p>However, he clarified that 24 seats reserved for Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) would not be delimited in this process. The BJP has been demanding de-freezing of one-third of seats reserved for the PoJK for the refugees living in Jammu.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/panorama/jk-delimitation-bjp-s-plan-for-hindu-cm-in-state-and-its-benefits-in-2024-1006143.html" target="_blank">J&K delimitation: BJP’s plan for Hindu CM in state, and its benefits in 2024</a></strong></p>.<p>The Chief Election Commissioner said the commission will also specify the number of seats to be reserved for the SC (Schedule Caste) and the ST (Schedule Tribe) in J&K Assembly. It will be for the first time that seats will be reserved for the ST in J&K.</p>.<p>He said in the past four days, the Commission met 290 groups in Srinagar, Pahalgam, Kishtwar and Jammu comprising 800 people. “There was an overwhelming response and people travelled from long distances to meet us. A draft report will be prepared and after that it will be in the public domain for a consensus. Only after that, the final draft will be prepared,” he said.</p>.<p>Asked about PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s allegation that delimitation was already a pre-planned exercise and the final report was ready, the Commission head Justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai assured that the exercise will be transparent in nature and there should be no fears and doubts.</p>.<p>Assembly seats in J&K were earlier delimited in 1963, 1973 and 1995. The last delimitation exercise was conducted in J&K under President’s rule in 1995 by the retired Justice K.K. Gupta Commission. The next exercise was due in 2005, but in 2002, then state government chose to freeze delimitation until 2026. The decision was in line with the pan-India freeze on delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies till the first census after 2026.</p>.<p>However, as the August 5, 2019 decision annulled J&K’s constitution, the freeze on delimitation till 2026 also became irrelevant. In fact, J&K Reorganisation Act, which came into force on October 31, 2019, mandates delimitation of constituencies in the UT.</p>
