No significant protest against report of Delimitation panel in J&K: Govt in RS

The Government on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has intimated that there were no significant protests against the report of the Delimitation Commission.

New Delhi: There has been no significant protest against the report of the Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The information was shared by Minister of State (Home) Nityanand Rai in a written reply.

"The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has intimated that there were no significant protest against the report of the Delimitation Commission. However, various political parties have expressed different views on the report," stated Rai.

He further stated that as against a previous number of 37 and 46 Assembly seats for the Jammu region and Kashmir region respectively, the Delimitation Commission has notified 43 seats for the Jammu region and 47 seats for the Kashmir region.

"The Delimitation Commission conducted delimitation exercise of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir based on the census data of the year 2011 and the criteria prescribed under section 9(1)(a) of the Delimitation Act, 2002 read with Section 60(2)(b) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019," stated Rai.

"The Commission has also considered the representations for geographical areas having inadequate communication and lack of public conveniences due to their excessive remoteness or inhospitable conditions on the international border," he added.

Rai in a separate reply said that statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored at an appropriate time, Minister of State (Home) Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

"Yes Sir. Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would be granted at an appropriate time," stated Rai. As to when the elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir Rai said that the decision to conduct elections is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India.

"Delimitation Commission has notified orders on 14th March, 2022 and 5th May, 2022 on delimitation of Parliamentary and Legislative Assembly Constituencies of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir," stated Rai.