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applied to the entire country until 2026 by amending the Jammu & Kashmir reason to single out Jammu and Kashmir for
2026 and contrary to the way some ill Representation of the People Act, 1957, and such an exercise once the delimitation was
informed TV channels are trying to sell Section 47(3) of the Constitution of Jammu & frozen in all the states. “Delimitation cannot
it, it isn’t just a J&K specific freeze. It’s Kashmir. be done when the Constitution of Jammu
rather surprising that the BJP, which The Governor, however, is deemed and Kashmir does not permit it as the Con-
talks about bringing J&K at par with competent to amend Section 47 of the stitutional mechanism to pave way for it is
other states by removing (Articles) Constitution to delete the objection- not in place.”
370 & 35A, now wants to treat J&K differ- able proviso which barred the setting up
ently from other states in this one respect.” of a delimitation commission. Also, Sec- Demographic reality
Similarly, former chief minister Meh- tion 3 of the Representation of People Act J&K is India’s only Muslim majority state
booba Mufti tweeted: “Distressed to hear gives the Governor the mandate to form a with a 68.3 per cent Muslim population.
about GoIs plan to redraw assembly con- delimitation commission. Hindus are the second largest community
stituencies in J&K. Forced delimitation is an with 30 per cent population followed by
obvious attempt to inflict another emotional Sikhs who are just 2 per cent, and Buddhists
partition of the state on communal lines. In- the reports on the who are a little more than 1 per cent.
stead of allowing old wounds to heal, GoI is plans about So, demographically speaking there is
inflicting pain on Kashmiris.” starting the no scope for a Hindu Chief Minister based
The People’s Conference leader Sajad delimitation process on communal considerations. That is, un-
Gani Lone, otherwise seen close to the BJP less Hindus and Muslims in a true secular
has also slammed the move. “Hope and pray for Jammu and spirit don’t set much store by the religion of
that media reports about Kashmir aren’t kashmir assembly the politicians.
true. Don’t understand the earth shattering constituencies has But this doesn’t seem to be the case now.
hurry. And this perception of being wronged triggered a sharp More so, with the BJP trying to accomplish
at a provincial level. If thousands of graves this seemingly impossible task through po-
in Kashmir don’t add up to people being response from both litical engineering, with delimitation being a
wronged, I wonder what wronged means,” national Conference step in this direction.
tweeted Lone. and people’s “People are given to understand that a
However, for now, the BJP seems intent democratic party commission would be set up in right earnest
on moving ahead with the fraught proposal. and it will complete the delimitation by the
On his first day in office, Home Minister time Assembly elections are held,” read an
Amit Shah had closed door meetings with Member Parliament and the former editorial in a local daily. “This means that the
Governor Satyapal Malik, Intelligence Bu- High Court judge Justice Hasnain Masoodi government intends to speed up the process
reau Director Rajiv Jain and Home Secretary differs. According to him, the elected gov- not to reflect the new electoral ground real-
Rajiv Gauba. ernment is important for delimitation ex- ity but to correct the alleged imbalance in
This has deepened apprehensions in ercise. “Such an exercise can be undertaken seat sharing between Jammu and Kashmir.”
the Valley. People see the move as part of a only after the elections are held, state as- And should this happen, it will only add
larger plan to alter the demography of the sembly and a duly elected government are a new layer of conflict to the long trou-
state. Adding to the complications is that J&K in place and necessary amendment is made bled situation. The majority community in
is under Governor’s rule, so carrying out de- in Section 47 of the Constitution of Jammu the state will see it as part of their planned
limitation exercise is deemed to be devoid of and Kashmir and Section 3 Jammu and disempowerment.
legitimacy. However, the last delimitation on Kashmir Representation of Peoples Act 1957, “The consequent sense of siege could
provisional basis was done in 1993 by Gov- pre-poning the delimitation. Any effort of throw Kashmir deeper into turmoil,” says
ernor Jagmohan when Jammu and Kashmir delimitation would be a misadventure and Naseer Ahmad, a local columnist. “Delimi-
was divided into 87 assembly constituencies. offend the Constitution and the Representa- tation or any other changes should not be
Though next exercise was due in 2005, tion of Peoples Act,” Justice Masoodi said in a pursued without taking people on board
but in 2002, the Farooq Abdullah govern- statement. and creating a wider political consensus”.
ment chose to freeze delimitation until Also, Justice Masoodi says that there is no letters@tehelka.com

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