JK News Today
Jammu, May 13:
The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a petition that challenged the Delimitation Commission report released on May 5 . The petition filed by the residents of Jammu and Kashmir questioned the constitutional validity and the recommendations made by the Commission of increasing Assembly seats from 83 to 90 in the Union territory.
The plea sought the declaration of increase of seats as violative of Article 81, 82, 170 and 330 & 332 of the constitution and Section 63 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 .
The petition – filed by the residents of J&K – also sought a declaration that the constitution of the Delimitation Commission under the Delimitation Act 2022 is without power, jurisdiction and authority. The next hearing in the matter is slated for August 30.
Last week, a panel – tasked with redrawing of the J&K constituencies – finalised the union territory’s electoral map, concluding the controversial exercise and paving the way for elections in the region. The big move comes for the first time after the special status under Article 370 was scrapped under Article 370.
The three-member delimitation commission issued its final order, earmarking 43 seats to the Hindu-majority Jammu region and 47 to Muslim-majority Kashmir. Among the seven new seats, six are for Jammu and one for Kashmir.
However, days after the report came out, the opposition called the proposal “politically motivated”.
