Delimitation Commission on J&K accept suggestions, likely to restore Suchetgarh
It appears that after reservations from various corners about proposed reconfiguration of assembly segments as per draft report submitted by the Delimitation Commission earlier to its associate members, the Commission will be rescinding few of its proposals.
It is learnt that the Commission after seriously considering the suggestions and objections raised by the Associate members has accepted some of the suggestions. Also there is likelihood that Commission may change names of few assembly segments.
The Suchetgarh assembly segment which was proposed to be dropped in the draft report may be restored. Also the reservation status of the one of the nine assembly seats reserved for the Schedule Caste(SC) candidates may be altered. The Delimitation Commission is likely to put it draft in the public domain in coming week for sharing their inputs and registering suggestions.
Meanwhile, the Delimitation Commission has accepted certain suggestions made by five associate members. The Delimitation Commission met in Delhi today to discuss suggestions of Members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir, who are associate members of the panel, on its delimitation draft proposal.
The meeting was chaired by Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai and attended by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission chief and the Chief Electoral Officer from the Union Territory. Officials said that Delimitation Commission in its meeting today held discussions at length on the suggestions given by five associate members.
“We had discussed point by point. After a wide range of discussions, the Commission has accepted certain suggestions given by five associate members. Now we will go back to associate members and will inform the decision that is made today,” an official said.
The term of the Delimitation Commission, mandated to redraw the assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir, has been extended by two months to complete its task. The panel’s term was to end on March 6. In its draft report shared with its five associated members — all Lok Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir — the delimitation panel has proposed an overhaul of assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union territory.
There has been widespread resentment against merging of Suchetgarth assembly segments with the RS Pura assembly constituency. Earlier Tarsem Singh, a BJP leader from Jammu and Block Development Council chairperson of Suchetgarh along with 100 local leaders and activists including the heads of mandals, Shakti Kendra centres and polling booths – submitted a joint resignation letter on February 7 to Ashok Pandit, the BJP’s organising general secretary in J&K.
Now the Commission is planning to restore the Suchetgarh assembly constituency, while few areas of RS Pura assembly segment will be merged with Jammu south segment. While the Suchetgarh assembly segments may be reserved for Schedule Cast community.
There was also resentment against merging Dungi area of Rajouri segment with the proposed newly carved Thanamandi segment. Now Commission is also likely to restore Dugi area of back with Rajouri segment. Now after merging Dungi back with Rajouri segment, instead of Thanamandi, now Rajouri may be reserved for ST community. It is learnt that the Commission is also likely to alter few areas of Kishtwar and Doda assembly segments.
As per Commission sources, it has started working on the final report and it is in its final stages of completion. The final report is likely to put in the public domain from next week.
Three associates members of National Conference including Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Mohd Akbar Lone have raised objections against the proposed changes in the draft report.
It has said that the delimitation exercise can’t go ahead, as the law under which the exercise is proceeding is being questioned and examined by the Supreme Court to find whether it is constitutional or not. In the entire country, the delimitation is to take place after 2031 after figures of the 2026 census are available.
Criticizing the proposals made by the Delimitation Commission in its second draft, the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference Tuesday said the panel has “arbitrarily devised some unknown criteria while apportioning and identifying increased 7 seats and selectively applied the criteria so fixed and thereafter allotted seats compromising the fundamental principle of population as the main criteria.”
