J&K Political Parties Reject Delimitation Draft Claiming Political Agenda Involved

The political parties in Jammu and Kashmir rejected the delimitation draft recommendation given by the Centre, as the draft recommended six new legislative seats to the region of Jammu and only one seat for the Kashmir region. This sparked opposition from the political parties where they claimed that the draft was driven by the BJP centred government and was not a democratic move.

The delimitation commission is a body that is established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act. As the word implies, the delimitation commission's main task is to redraw boundaries in the legislative assemblies and Lok Sabha constituencies based on the recent census. The representation of each state does not change with every commission; however, the SC and ST seats are changed in accordance with the recent census. The delimitation commission is a high-power body that cannot be called in question before a court of law.

The delimitation commission which was set up to redraw the legislative seats in Jammu and Kashmir has introduced six additional seats for the Jammu region and only one seat for the Kashmir region. This 'Paper-I' was discussed with the commission's five associate members in New Delhi, on Monday and was recommended to the valley. The paper was distributed to the five MP's from Jammu and Kashmir who were the associate members. National Conference President and MP Farooq Abdullah who attended the meeting confirmed the draft proposal and said that the party will respond to it via a formal communique on December 31, 2021.

What Does Census Data Tell Us?

As per the census 2011 website, Jammu and Kashmir had a total population of 12,541,302 in 2011, with 6,640,662 men and 5,900,640 women. The population of Jammu alone was 1,529,958 of which male and female were 813,821 and 716,137 respectively. This would imply that Kashmir had a population of 11,011,344 in 2011.

The difference in the population number between Jammu and Kashmir is vast and the census being the base to the delimitation provisions, the seat allocation count is ironic in itself. Providing six seats for Jammu with its population way lesser than Kashmir to whom one seat has been recommended, instigated the parties to suspect political involvement in the provision making, rather than it being a democratic move.

The draft was rejected by all the political parties of Kashmir, as they believe that this is another move from the BJP to disintegrate Jammu and Kashmir. Backlashes are pouring in large numbers against the center for its undemocratic decisions.

Recommendations Of Delimitation Commission

"The recommendations of the delimitation commission are totally unacceptable. They reek of bias. What a shock for those who believe in democracy," People's Conference President, Sajad Gani Lone tweeted a short while after the declaration of the draft.

"The draft recommendation of the J&K delimitation commission is unacceptable. The distribution of newly created assembly constituencies with 6 going to Jammu & only 1 to Kashmir is not justified by the data of the 2011 census," tweeted Former J&K Chief Minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah expressed his disappointment on Twitter as he stated that the commission fed to the political needs of BJP and not the promised "scientific approach," as reported by the Greater Kashmir.

PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti also reacted to the draft on Twitter, that the government is pitching people against each other by not considering the census for making provisions, rather are politically motivated. While many politicians from Kashmir are attacking the Center for the move. s the center holds ground that this draft is recommended on a democratic basis. Union Minister and senior BJP leader from Jammu, Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday told the media that J&K Delimitation Commission had "come out with a document that is objectively prepared".

The J&K Delimitation Commission was set by the government of India on March 6, 2020, and its associate members are National Conference MPs Farooq Abdullah and Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi besides Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Dr Jitendra Singh, and Jugal Kishore Sharma of the BJP party.

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