Delimitation Commission interacts with 118 delegations amid protests

The delimitation commission assigned the task to redraw boundaries of assembly and parliament constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir started interaction with various delegations including political leaders and panchayati members from across Jammu region on its interim report which was made public last month.

The Commission is holding meetings with public and civil society for receiving suggestions and objections on its draft proposal.

On day 1, the Commission held discussions with 118 persons/delegations including political parties, DDC members, panches, sarpanches, members of the public, civil society and individuals from all districts of the Jammu region at the Convention Centre here.

It is learnt said that about 15 delegations from Kathua district, 34 delegations from Jammu district, 16 from Samba district, 18 from Udhampur district, two from Reasi district, four from Kishtwar , one from Poonch, five from Doda District, 15 from Ramban district, eight from Rajouri district put forth their representations and objections before the Delimitation Commission in view of creating new Assembly constituencies.

Congress staged a protest against the delimitation commission and later some of its leaders boycotted the meeting with the commission claiming that there was no mention of Congress as a party in the list of invitees and they were only invited in their individual capacity.

Chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma questioned the meeting of the commission with over 300 delegations in a couple of hours and said it is injustice with the people. We expect no justice from the commission but want to meet it and give positive suggestions about all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Congress staged a protest urging the visiting team to provide sufficient time to the party so that it can highlight the irregularities in its draft report in a proper way. “We are holding this peaceful protest against the delimitation commission over its draft report which is against settled norms, ground situations and containing large scale irregularities”, said J&K Congress chief GA Mir.

We have submitted a detailed objections to the commission and want the commission to hear us for the benefit of the aggrieved population. We have not been given any time that shows they are on a picnic and fulfilling the formalities to put a public stamp on their report made at the behest of BJP, Mir said.

Meanwhile, former minister and chairman National Panthers Party (NPP) Harsh Dev Singh also demanded that there are some discrepancies in the draft report which needs to be done away for the benefit of the public. There are some anomalies with regard to redrawing of constituencies like Rajouri and Poonch districts were included in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency and likewise there was change in some assembly seats and the people are not happy over it, he said. Singh said the NPP delegation also raised the issue of reservation of constituencies and favoured rotational concept rather than reserving a constituency for years together.

The Commission on March 14 has put its report in the public domain and invited objections and suggestions from people. The commission has published its report in the gazettes of India as well as Jammu and Kashmir.
The people from Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts participated in first sitting while the people from Reasi, Samba and Jammu participated in the second half-sittings.

The Commission met delegations and members of the public and heard them and received their representations. The members of the public and elected representatives raised various demands in terms of carving out new segments of assemblies and also raised objections about the draft in which various areas have been merged with other areas of assembly and parliamentary constituencies.

Delimitation Commission, comprising Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai as chairperson, the Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma as its members, was set up on March 6, 2020, with one year term. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, its term was extended on March 6, 2021, by one year. It also has five associate members: three National Conference Lok Sabha members (Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Mohammad Akbar Lone), BJP MP Jugal Kishore and Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

According to the draft proposal, there has been no increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats in J&K.
Similarly, there is no reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the parliamentary seats of the union territory, it said. The Jammu division will have Jammu-Reasi and Udhampur-Doda constituencies while the Kashmir division will have Srinagar-Budgam and Baramulla-Kupwara. The Anantnag-Poonch seat will be part of both the divisions, the draft said.

The report said the total number of seats in the assembly has been increased to 90 with reservation of seven seats for SCs and nine for STs. The three-member commission has proposed six more seats in the Jammu region and only one additional seat in Kashmir in the proposed 90-member house. Kashmir will have 47 assembly seats and the Jammu region 43 seats, the report said.

Meanwhile, J&K BJP has accused Cong of unleashing propaganda’ against delimitation commission. Expressing satisfaction over the functioning of Delimitation Commission, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Monday accused Congress of unleashing a “propaganda” against the independent body after losing credibility among the people. Raina made the remarks shortly after meeting the members of the Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai at the convention centre here.

Talking to reporters after meeting the commission, Raina said Justice Desai led the commission with chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and state election commissioner K K Sharma as its members have done a tremendous job and came out with its draft proposal after over two years of hard work. “They are available to hear the grievances and are meeting various delegations including elected panchayat members, representatives of public and former legislators. People put forth their concerns and grievances and the commission heard them. We are hopeful that the commission will seriously look into the representations for redressal before preparing its final report, the BJP leader said.

Asked about Congress terming the exercise as an eyewash to put a stamp on the report allegedly made at the behest of BJP, Raina said the commission is an autonomous body and headed by former chief justice of Supreme Court. Some political parties have lost their credibility in Jammu and Kashmir and are involved in such type of propaganda and Congress is one among them, he said.

The BJP leader said the commission is expected to submit its final report by its timeline of May 6 and we are hopeful that it will be followed by assembly elections which will take place within six to eight months as announced by the Prime Minister and Home minister.

Meanwhile, Kashmir unit of Bharatiya Janata Party and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (AP) all set to meet Delimitation Commission panel during their sitting in Srinagar on Tuesday, while other parties are likely to skip the session.

The three members Delimitation Commission delegation headed by Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, who arrived on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, will meet different delegations from Kashmir in Srinagar over suggestions and objections regarding the Delimitation draft.

The Delimitation Commission had issued an order and notification on 14th March inviting suggestions and objections to its draft proposal on the delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by 21st March.

The commission received over 409 objections during the stipulated time as per the reports. All of the suggestions were under the consideration of the commission. The Delimitation Panel called for sittings in Jammu and Kashmir on 4th and 5th April, following the suggestions and objections.

The Delimitation Commission panel is scheduled to meet delegations from Srinagar, Budgam, Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, and Shopian districts in the morning at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre SKICC, Srinagar. In the afternoon, the panel will meet the delegations from Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kupwara, and Baramulla districts.

Meanwhile, sources said that apart from the delegations that have filed objections and suggestions, except BJP Kashmir and Apni Party, no other political party will be meeting the Delimitation Commission panel.

A senior BJP leader from Kashmir said that a few party members would meet the Delimitation Commission panel tomorrow at SKICC Srinagar. He added, “The members will put forth their suggestions in front of members”.
Imran Dar, a States Spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, told that no delegation from National Conference is taking part in the sitting of the Delimitation Commission’s panel. However, he said that if any other person from the party wants to meet, they can go on a personal level.

Sources said that the People’s Democratic Party has the same stand as the National Conference.

Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari told that though there will not be any delegation from the party, someone from the office will meet the Delimitation Commission panel. Further, several District Development Council members from various districts will also meet Delimitation Commission members in Srinagar.