Modi govt mulls delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir: Time to redraw J&K assembly constituency borders? Politicians hit out at Centre

It is reliably learnt that the MHA is pondering over the appointment of a delimitation commission to study the Assembly constituencies and come up with its recommendations.

Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir: Union Home Ministry (MHA) is mulling over fresh delimitation of Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, according to reports.

Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir: Union Home Ministry (MHA) is mulling over fresh delimitation of Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, according to reports. On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was given a detailed presentation on the situation in the state, where the BJP has been pushing for carrying out a delimitation exercise for getting more seats for Jammu region in the state assembly. Reports said that among the many plans on the drawing board of new Union Home Minister is believed to be the boilerplate for fresh delimitation of constituencies and appointment of a Delimitation Commission. Reacting to the proposed move, Jammu and Kashmir's former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and other mainstream parties in the state on Tuesday came out strongly saying it was an obvious attempt to "inflict another emotional partition" on the state "on communal lines". However, the BJP has backed the measure to ensure proper representation to the Jammu region. Omar Abdullah said that his party would oppose "tooth and nail" any such attempt without a mandate from the people of the state. While Mehbooba Mufti said she was distressed to hear about GoI's plan to redraw assembly constituencies in J&K. Former IAS officer and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement president Shah Faesal also called this as a "very serious" and "disturbing" development. Faesal warned that any delimitation exercise in violation of the freeze imposed by the state legislature would be seen as "manipulative and will have dangerous consequences" for the state.

When delimitation takes place in the rest of the country the BJP is welcome to apply it to J&K until then we in the @JKNC_ will oppose, tooth & nail, any attempt to make changes without a mandate from the people of the state.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 4, 2019

Distressed to hear about GoIs plan to redraw assembly constituencies in J&K. Forced delimitation is an obvious attempt to inflict another emotional partition of the state on communal lines.Instead of allowing old wounds to heal, GoI is inflicting pain on Kashmiris

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 4, 2019

It is reliably learnt that the MHA is pondering over the appointment of a delimitation commission to study the Assembly constituencies and come up with its recommendations. Meanwhile, the officials said there was no discussion on constituting a delimitation commission during the meeting with Shah. However, they said, against the backdrop of delimitation demands by the state BJP, there was a possibility of the new central government constituting a delimitation commission to redraw the scope and size of the assembly segments and determine the number of seats to be reserved for Schedules Castes. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said that it was considering holding the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir later this year. It said that the election schedule for the conduct of assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir would be announced after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra. (With inputs from agencies)