The Delimitation Commission held its first meeting with the Associate Members on February 18 in New Delhi. All three Associate Members of the Delimitation Commission from the National
Conference including Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, Lok Sabha members from Kashmir had boycotted the meeting on the ground that the National Conference has challenged Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act in the Supreme Court under which delimitation of the Assembly Constituencies has been taken up. However, Associate Members of the Commission from the Bhartiya Janta Party Dr. Jitender Singh, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and Jugal Kishore Sharma, Lok Sabha Member from Jammu- Poonch Constituency had attended the meeting and given their suggestions. The National Conference has made it clear that it will dissociate from the Commission.
Delimitation of the Assembly Constituencies was last held in 1994-95 when seats of the erstwhile State Assembly constituencies were raised from 76 to 87. However, the delimitation was freezed in 2002 by the National Conference Government headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah. While splitting Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories through the Reorganisation Act, the Union Home Minister had increased Assembly seats of Jammu & Kashmir by seven taking total seats to 114-24 of which are reserved for Pakistan Occupied Kashmir while election will be held for 90 seats.
Delimitation of State Assembly has become necessity as it would be treated as new Assembly with reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Scheduled Castes enjoyed reservations in the previous State Assembly but Scheduled Tribes had been denied political reservations. Also, as it will not be binding on the Delimitation Commission to stick to the segments which existed in the erst-while Jammu & Kashmir State Assembly, as such there can be altogether different Assembly Constituencies with different boundaries.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has called upon the political parties who want early Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir to help in the process of Delimitation of the constituencies. His statement assumes significance as the National Conference with three Lok Sabha members, all of whom are Associate Members of the Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, had boycotted the Commission meeting.
Few days back, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in his interaction with European Envoys had stated that the Election Commission will take call on holding elections in Jammu & Kashmir after completion of the exercise for Delimitation of Assembly constituencies by the Delimitation Commission. “Prime Minister (Narender Modi) has assured the entire nation (on holding the Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir) and the Delimitation Commission has begun its work. I request that those who want elections soon should help in this delimitation process, instead of making excuses,” Sinha said. “There are constitutional institutions in India. The decision is taken by the Election Commission. Let the work related to delimitation get completed, the commission will definitely conduct the Assembly elections,” Sinha added.
The hopes and aspirations of the people must be given due consideration in a democratic set up. Delimitation of constituencies is the long pending demand. Elections fulfil the political aspirations. The political parties need to accommodate both. Earlier the better.