Delimitation panel notifies new J&K Assembly constituencies

What is the News?

The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission has notified the new boundaries, names and number of Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, paving the way for the first-ever Assembly election in the Union Territory.

What is the Delimitation Commission?

Click here to read about it

Delimitation in the J&K State

In the erstwhile J&K state, the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies was governed by the Constitution of India and that of Assembly seats was carried out by the then state government under the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of the People Act, 1957. 

After the abrogation of J&K’s special status in 2019, the delimitation of both Assembly and parliamentary seats is governed by the Constitution.

The last delimitation exercise in J&K was carried out in 1995.

Why was the Delimitation Commission set up for J&K?

Delimitation became necessary after the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 increased the number of seats in the Assembly.

The Reorganization Act increased the seats from 107 to 114 besides the 24 reserved for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK).

Who heads the Delimitation Commission?

In 2020, the Government of India set up the Delimitation Commission, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai

The delimitation as a rule is carried out on the basis of the Census population. But this Commission said it would take certain other factors into consideration for J&K including size, remoteness and closeness to the border.

What changes have the delimitation commission made?

ASSEMBLY: The Commission has increased seven Assembly seats — six in Jammu (now 43 seats) and one in Kashmir (now 47). It has also made massive changes in the structure of the existing Assembly seats.

LOK SABHA: The Commission has redrawn the boundaries of Anantnag and Jammu seats. 

KASHMIRI PANDITS: The Commission has recommended the provision of at least two members from the community of Kashmiri Migrants (Kashmiri Hindus) in the Legislative Assembly.

Seats for POK migrants: It has also recommended that the Centre should consider giving representation in the J&K Legislative Assembly to the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, who migrated to Jammu after Partition.

Source: The post is based on the article “Delimitation panel notifies new J&K Assembly constituencies” published in The Hindu on 6th May 2022.