Delimitation Commission to hold consultations with all political parties in J&K from July 6-9

New Delhi: The delimitation commission tasked with redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will visit the Union Territory from July 6 to July 9 and interact with administrative officials, political parties and public representatives there.

The decision to visit union territory was taken after the panel held a meeting at the Election Commission office in the national capital today.

"Here the delimitation commission expects all stakeholders to co-operate in providing valuable suggestions so that the task of delimitation completes on time," informed an official from the ECI.

The official said that District Election Officers and Deputy Commissioners of 20 districts of the Union Territory are tasked to gather first-hand information and input concerning the ongoing process of delimitation as mandated under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

On June 23, the Election Commission had conducted virtual discussions with its representatives in Jammu and Kashmir and deputy commissioners regarding the delimitation of the 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory.

In the meeting, that was attended by 20 Deputy Commissioners from Jammu and Kashmir, administrative difficulties faced with respect to the assembly constituencies were discussed. 

This meeting was held a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s all-party meeting with leaders from Jammu and Kashmir where leaders discussed the re-starting of political activity in the Union Territory.

The three-member delimitation commission headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai was set up in March 2020 for a year. Later, the panel got a one-year extension from the Central government on March 3, 2021, after it failed to complete its task last year.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019 notified by the government on August 9, 2019, paved the way for the creation of two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, which will have a legislature and Ladakh, without it.

The Act provides that the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114, and delimitation of the constituencies will be determined by the Election Commission.