J&K: Delimitation Commission gets extension of two months

New Delhi, Feb 22: The Delimitation Commission on Tuesday got extended by 2 more months amid uproar against its recently released Jammu and Kashmir draft proposal. The commission is meant for deciding the electoral constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir and redrawing them.

 

The term of the panel was supposed to end on March 6. Formed in March 2020, the panel was granted a one-year extension last year. Headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, it has Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the state election commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir as its ex-officio members.

 

 

 

In its draft report shared with its five associated members -- all Lok Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir -- the delimitation panel has proposed an overhaul of assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the union territory.

 

 

In the recent notice extending the Delimitation Commission, the Centre said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2022 (33 of 2002), the Central Government hereby makes the following further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department), number S.O 1015(E) dated the 06th March 2020 namely:- In the said notification, in paragraph 2, for the words, 'two years, the words, 'two years and two months, shall be substituted."

 

 

Jammu and Kashmir at present has no legislative assembly. It is a union territory with a provision for a legislature. The Commission has asked the associate members to give their inputs and objections to the draft in the coming days. Then they would be asked whether their objections, if any, should be printed before the next draft it put out in public domain.