NEW DELHI: The Delimitation Commission has proposed carving out of parliamentary constituencies (PCs) in Jammu and Kashmir by treating the entire Union Territory as one single unit rather than splitting the PCs along Jammu and Srinagar regions, and has set February14 as the deadline for MPs from J&K to submit their response.
As per the proposal, the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat will have 7 assembly constituencies (ACs) from two districts of Jammu division, Rajouri (4) and Poonch (3), besides 11ACs from the three districts of Kashmir division, namely, Anantnag (7) , Kulgam (3) and Shopian (1) districts.
The delimitation proposal says an equal number of 18 assembly constituencies is to be allocated to each parliamentary seat
Sets Feb 14 as deadline for MPs from UT to submit their response
In a first, 9 assembly constituencies — 6 in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir — are to be reserved for STs
The deadline is February 14.
Similarly, the Commission, in its draft delimitation proposal shared on Friday with the five J&K MPs, who are also its associate members, has mooted changes in Srinagar parliamentary constituency (PC), which will now comprise one assembly constituency in Shopian district, three ACs in Budgam and entire Srinagar (8 ACs), Ganderbal (2 ACs) and Pulwama (4 ACs) districts.
“Since an equal number of 18 ACs were to be allocated to each parliamentary seat, while also keeping the population equitable for each Lok Sabha constituency, some assembly seats from Jammu region were included in Anantnag and the seat is proposed to be renamed as Anantnag- Rajouri,” said a source explaining the proposal for reconfiguration and rechristening of Anantnag constituency.
This means that the Lok Sabha MP from AnantnagRajouri will represent people from both Kashmir as well as Jammu regions.
Abdullah, who also was CM of J&K, said, “There is no political, administrative and social logic that justifies these recommendations… Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in South Kashmir will also cover assembly seats from Rajouri and Poonch, which are part of Jammu division and located across Peerpanjal range. How will this provide better administration?”
But a functional said, “All proposed assembly constituencies are contained in a given district, and are contiguous. The inclusion of regions from Jammu division in the redrawn Anantnag PC shows that Jammu and Kashmir regions have not been seen in isolation but as an unified J&K.”
The Delimitation Commission had last month requested the law ministry for a two-month extension in its tenure endingMarch5, toconclude the delimitation process, which will pave the way for assembly polls in J&K.
This extension till May 5, if approved, will enable the panel to wind up its proceedings before its ex-officio member Sushil Chandra‘s tenure as chief election commissioner ends in mid-May.
As per the delimitation proposal, Baramulla PC in Kashmir division has been al-lotted 2 ACs in Budgam, and all 6 ACs in Kupwara, 7 in Baramulla and 3 in Bandipora.
Jammu PC will comprise 11 ACs in Jammu district, 3 ACs in Reasi, 1 AC in Rajouri and 3 ACs in Samba district. The redrawn Udhampur PC includes Udhampur (4 ACs), Kathua (6 ACs), Ramban (2 ACs), Doda (3 ACs) and Kishtwar (3 ACs).
In a first, nine assembly constituencies in J&K are proposed to be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, of which six will be in Jammu division and three in Kashmir division. The number of assembly seats reserved for SCs will remain 7, though with redrawn boundaries.
While the proposed Baramulla PC has a population of 2.6 lakh population, Srinagar has 26.7 lakh, Anantnag 26.2 lakh, Udhampur 21 lakh and Jammu 22.8 lakh.
Once the suggestions of MPs on the draft proposal are received, the Commission will take a call on any revisions. The final delimitation draft for J&K will then be placed in the public domain for objections and comments, followed by public hearings. Based on the suggestions received, the Commission will finalize its delimitation award.
In case, the delimitation award is given in May, the earliest that assembly polls can be held in J&K would be October as it takes around 3-4 months for rolls to be revised based on delimitation award.
As per the proposal, the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat will have 7 assembly constituencies (ACs) from two districts of Jammu division, Rajouri (4) and Poonch (3), besides 11ACs from the three districts of Kashmir division, namely, Anantnag (7) , Kulgam (3) and Shopian (1) districts.
The delimitation proposal says an equal number of 18 assembly constituencies is to be allocated to each parliamentary seat
Sets Feb 14 as deadline for MPs from UT to submit their response
In a first, 9 assembly constituencies — 6 in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir — are to be reserved for STs
The deadline is February 14.
Similarly, the Commission, in its draft delimitation proposal shared on Friday with the five J&K MPs, who are also its associate members, has mooted changes in Srinagar parliamentary constituency (PC), which will now comprise one assembly constituency in Shopian district, three ACs in Budgam and entire Srinagar (8 ACs), Ganderbal (2 ACs) and Pulwama (4 ACs) districts.
“Since an equal number of 18 ACs were to be allocated to each parliamentary seat, while also keeping the population equitable for each Lok Sabha constituency, some assembly seats from Jammu region were included in Anantnag and the seat is proposed to be renamed as Anantnag- Rajouri,” said a source explaining the proposal for reconfiguration and rechristening of Anantnag constituency.
This means that the Lok Sabha MP from AnantnagRajouri will represent people from both Kashmir as well as Jammu regions.
Abdullah, who also was CM of J&K, said, “There is no political, administrative and social logic that justifies these recommendations… Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in South Kashmir will also cover assembly seats from Rajouri and Poonch, which are part of Jammu division and located across Peerpanjal range. How will this provide better administration?”
But a functional said, “All proposed assembly constituencies are contained in a given district, and are contiguous. The inclusion of regions from Jammu division in the redrawn Anantnag PC shows that Jammu and Kashmir regions have not been seen in isolation but as an unified J&K.”
The Delimitation Commission had last month requested the law ministry for a two-month extension in its tenure endingMarch5, toconclude the delimitation process, which will pave the way for assembly polls in J&K.
This extension till May 5, if approved, will enable the panel to wind up its proceedings before its ex-officio member Sushil Chandra‘s tenure as chief election commissioner ends in mid-May.
As per the delimitation proposal, Baramulla PC in Kashmir division has been al-lotted 2 ACs in Budgam, and all 6 ACs in Kupwara, 7 in Baramulla and 3 in Bandipora.
Jammu PC will comprise 11 ACs in Jammu district, 3 ACs in Reasi, 1 AC in Rajouri and 3 ACs in Samba district. The redrawn Udhampur PC includes Udhampur (4 ACs), Kathua (6 ACs), Ramban (2 ACs), Doda (3 ACs) and Kishtwar (3 ACs).
In a first, nine assembly constituencies in J&K are proposed to be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, of which six will be in Jammu division and three in Kashmir division. The number of assembly seats reserved for SCs will remain 7, though with redrawn boundaries.
While the proposed Baramulla PC has a population of 2.6 lakh population, Srinagar has 26.7 lakh, Anantnag 26.2 lakh, Udhampur 21 lakh and Jammu 22.8 lakh.
Once the suggestions of MPs on the draft proposal are received, the Commission will take a call on any revisions. The final delimitation draft for J&K will then be placed in the public domain for objections and comments, followed by public hearings. Based on the suggestions received, the Commission will finalize its delimitation award.
In case, the delimitation award is given in May, the earliest that assembly polls can be held in J&K would be October as it takes around 3-4 months for rolls to be revised based on delimitation award.
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