J&K delimitation commission likely to submit final report today
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Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir delimitation commission is expected to submit its final draft for the assembly and Lok Sabha constituency changes today.
The decision is crucial as only after the delimitation exercise is over will the much-awaited polls take place in Jammu and Kashmir.
The panel was tasked to redraw the boundaries of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
The term of the commission is ending tomorrow.
The draft report of the commission that was made public a few months ago has caused a huge controversy after the opposition alleged gerrymandering to help BJP and turning the demographic majority into a political minority in several areas.
The commission has not made any substantial changes, except for changing the proposed names of some constituencies in the final report.
The proposal had serious discrepancies including geographical continuity and population as the basis for allotting seats.
The commission was to redraw 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
The completion of the delimitation process will pave the way for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The former state is without an elected government since June 2018.
Political parties have pointed out serious flaws in the delimitation process, which may have long-term and serious repercussions for democracy in the region.
"The delimitation exercise is done for furtherance of BJP agenda. The commission has shown no regard for law and Constitution. Particularly, the majority community, be it in Rajouri, Kashmir or Chinab valley has been disempowered. In a sense they have been disenfranchised," former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said after the draft report was made public.
The commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, is redrawing 90 assembly seats and five parliament seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The commission had first come under criticism in December after it proposed allotment of six more assembly seats to the Jammu region against just one for the Kashmir valley, despite Kashmir having a higher population. The draft report had serious discrepancies, the opposition has said.