J-K delimitation panel accepts suggestions from five MPs

New Delhi, February 24

The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, which met here today, has accepted some of the suggestions by its associate members (all five Lok Sabha members from the UT), officials said.

Headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai, the commission will discuss the proposal given by the five MPs. It has to submit its report by May 6.

Report by May 6

• The delimitation commission was set up in March 2020
• Its objective is to redraw parliamentary, Assembly seats
• The commission has to submit its report by May 6

“The panel held deliberations and accepted certain suggestions given by five associate members. Now we will go back to associate members and share with them the decisions taken today,” said a senior official.

The five associate members are Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, both Lok Sabha members from the Jammu division, and Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, National Conference MPs from the Kashmir Valley.

Decision to be conveyed to them

The panel held deliberations and accepted certain suggestions given by five associate members. Now we will go back to associate members and share with them the decisions taken on Thursday. —Senior official

They had submitted their suggestions to the panel on February 14 after a draft proposal was shared with them. Three of the MPs from the Valley have so far opposed the draft recommendations of the commission.

The delimitation commission, set up in March 2020 six months after the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, was formed to redraw the parliamentary and Assembly seats.

The panel was set up with a legislative back up, independent of the government and political parties, in its functioning.

On February 22, the commission was given a two-month extension by the Centre.

Till now, the commission has held two meetings with the associate members, which took place last year on February 18 and December 20. The three NC MPs had boycotted the first meeting, but they participated in the second one.

In December last year, the panel had proposed to increase six seats for the Jammu division and one for the Kashmir division, besides reserving 16 seats for the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the UT which had evoked sharp reactions from the regional parties.

Associate members

The associate members are Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, both Lok Sabha members from the Jammu division, and Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, National Conference MPs from the Kashmir Valley.