Srinagar/New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission led by Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai and Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra as a member signed the final order on redrawing the assembly constituencies of the Union Territory on Thursday.
The term of the Commission is set to end on Friday after two extensions — first from March 6, 2021 to March 6 this year and then a two-month extension till May 6.
A copy of this order and the report, detailing the number of constituencies and their size, will be submitted to the government after which the order will be issued through a gazette notification. The commission has proposed increasing the number of seats in the UT from 83 to 90.
Besides, there are 24 seats in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that continue to remain vacant. For the first time, nine seats have been proposed for Scheduled Tribes. The panel has also proposed six additional seats for Jammu and one for Kashmir.
As of now, the Kashmir division has 46 seats and the Jammu division 37. Formed in March 2020, the panel was granted a one-year extension last year. In February, it was again given a two-month extension to complete its task. Its term was to otherwise end on March 6.
It is learnt that some changes in the names and areas of some constituencies are likely to be accepted based on the inputs received regarding the delimitation exercise. Sources said changes in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency as demanded by several political parties in Kashmir are unlikely to be factored into.
The decision to reserve seats for Scheduled Tribes is also unlikely to change. Six assembly seats in the Jammu division and three seats in the Kashmir division will be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes while seven more seats will also be reserved for the Scheduled Castes in the Jammu Division, sources said.
They further said that the panel could accept the demands for change in some tehsils and areas of Gulmarg, Baramulla, Bandipora and Srinagar. As regards renaming, sources said the Tangmarg constituency, as published in the first draft, could be named Gulmarg, Zoonimar could be named Zadjbal, Kathua North could be named Jasrota, while Mahura could be named Gulberga.
The Srinagar seat will now have five districts instead of the three. The North Kashmir Lok Sabha seat will also include parts of Central Kashmir. On April 4, the commission began its two-day long meetings with the public and civil society for receiving suggestions and objections on its draft delimitation proposal for the union territory. The Commission had on March 14 put its report in the public domain and invited objections and suggestions from people.
Also read: Delimitation Commission begins two-day interaction with public, J-K political leaders
