A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement indicating year-end Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government dropped another hint that the Union Territory was heading for polls as the Law Ministry extended the term of the Delimitation Commission by two months only, which means the Panel will have to finalize the report before May 6.
There were indications that the Commission is likely to put a draft report in the public domain in March for claims and objections by political parties, organizations, and individuals and then visit Jammu and Kashmir for public
A notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice Department today approved the extension of two months for the Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai and comprising Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra and State Election Commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma.
The term of the Commission, which was due to expire on March 6, has now been extended till May 6 by when it will have to finalize its recommendations for delimitation of 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
This is the second extension in the Panel’s tenure, which was set up on March 6, 2020, and given one-year time to submit the report. However, it held just one meeting with Associate Members in New Delhi in the first year, and its term was extended by another year on March 6, 2021.
The Commission had visited Jammu and Kashmir for four days from July 6-9 last year. It has so far held two meetings with five Associate members—first on February 18, 2021, and second on December 20, 2021. It submitted a draft report to the Associate Members on February 5, 2022.
In its December 20, 2021 meeting, the Panel shared with the Associate Members its recommendations to increase six Assembly seats in the Jammu division and one in the Kashmir division besides reserving seven seats for Scheduled Castes and nine for Scheduled Tribes in the House of 90.
Meanwhile, sources said the Commission could revisit Jammu and Kashmir after putting the draft report in the public domain in March to meet delegations and take their opinion on the report before finalizing its recommendations.
“The Commission may or may not hold another meeting with the Associate Members now as it has already held two sittings with them and obtained their suggestions/objections on the draft report,” sources said, adding it was the discretion of the Panel whether to consider objections of the Associate Members or not.
The Associate Members include Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, both BJP Lok Sabha members from Jammu division and Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, all three NC MPs from Kashmir valley.
The Commission, according to sources, could put its report in the public domain in March and invite claims and objections from political parties, organizations and individuals for 42 days. After putting the report in the public domain, the Panel could also visit the Union Territory for public hearings.
Sources said if the Panel submits its report on May 6, which is the new deadline as per fresh extension of two months, the Assembly election could be held in November-December this year or March-April next year as only yesterday Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that the polls in Jammu and Kashmir would be held within six to eight months after the finalization of Delimitation Commission recommendations.
