Centre grants two month to delimitation commission to redraw electoral constituencies of J&K

|HT|

The Centre on Tuesday granted a two month extension to the delimitation commission entrusted to redraw the electoral constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir. The delimitation commission's term was slated to end on March 6 this year. The delimitation commission was set up in March 2020 by the Centre to redraw the constituencies of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The panel is headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, with chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and J&K poll panel chief KK Sharma being the other members.

The draft proposals of the delimitation panel have evoked strong protests by the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the BJP. J&K BJP chief Ravindra Raina had said that there were flaws in the draft proposal, but assured them of getting rectified. The Centre issued a note to extend the delimitation commissions tenure by two more months. However, the National Conference had said that the delimitation proposal had ignored historical aspects, population ratio of assembly segments, and geography.

Responding to the widespread criticism, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had said that the delimitation commission was constituted by the Parliament and those dissatisfied had the right to raise objections.

“Constitution guarantees freedom to all the citizens and those not satisfied with panel’s proposals should lodge their reservations. And, if associate members have any objections to the draft report, they can also lodge their reservations,” Sinha had said.

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