Ishtiyaq Ahmad
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Sept 9: Members of Delimitation Commission are set to visit Jammu and Kashmir soon to carry forward the exercise to redraw the assembly constituencies in the newly carved out union territory.
The Commission is preparing a 'comprehensive framework" of the delimitation exercise. All associate members have already been nominated for each State/ Union Territory concerned. "Data collection work has also been completed. Now the commission is busy with preparing a broad framework on carving out constituencies based on the 2011 Census," a source said.
After completing the broad framework the members of the Delimitation Commission will visit the states including the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to meet locals. "Once the framework is drawn, it would also interact with associate members to seek their views and inputs," the source added.
The delimitation panel will redraw the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the four north-eastern states and work on increasing the assembly seats of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. On March 7, Government of India had announced a delimitation commission for J&K, Assam, Aurunachal Pradesh and Manipur. From BJP MoS in Prime Minister's Office Dr Jitendra Singh and MP Jugal Kishore were announced as members while as from NC Dr Farooq Abdullah, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Justice (Rtd) Hasnain Masoodi were also nominated as members. However, the National Conference decided to boycott the process.
The BJP has maintained that they would like the Delimitation Commission to keep the population, topography, geography and area in mind while making recommendations.
It is to mention here that last month the new office premise for Delimitation Commission was inaugurated in New Delhi.
The office premises for Delimitation Commission was opened by Justice Ranjana Desai, Chairperson, Delimitation Commission in the presence of Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner, Ashok Lavasa, Election Commissioner, and Sushil Chandra, Election Commissioner and Member, Delimitation Commission. |
