Over 100 delegates meet Delimitation Commission, submit suggestions, objections

Jammu: More than 100 delegations comprising political parties, non political bodies, NGOs, social and religious bodies on Monday submitted suggestions and objections to the Delimitation Commission during a day-long meetings here held at Convention Centre. However, the J&K Congress boycotted the meeting. An official said that the Delimitation Commission led by Retired Justice Ranjna Desai, who is the Chairperson, held public meetings with the delegations over the proposed Delimitation Commission’s report. The Delimitation Commission is on a two-day visit to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and after meeting the delegates here on Monday, will hold deliberations with delegations at Srinagar on Tuesday. He further said that in the first session, delegations from Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch met the Delimitation Commission, adding, “the delegates suggested some alterations besides some filed objections in the proposed draft.” Official sources said that about 15 delegations from Kathua district, 34 delegations from Jammu district, 16 from Samba district, 18 from Udhampur district, two from Reasi district, four from Kishtwar , one from Poonch, five from Doda District, 15 from Ramban district, eight from Rajouri district put forth their representations and objections before the Delimitation Commission in view of creating new Assembly constituencies. The Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress staged a protest against the delimitation commission here, urging the visiting team to provide sufficient time to the party so that it can highlight the “irregularities” in its draft report in a proper way. The protest led by J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir coincided with the start of the public sitting of the delimitation commission on its report. The delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party unit of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday met the Delimitation Commission to discuss the people’s issues. Meanwhile the BJP delegation led by J&K President, Ravinder Raina urged the Commission for the redressal of Ghagwal, Rajpura, Samba, Gurha Salathia, Maralia, Suchetgarh, Pargwal, Chamb, Mera-Mandrian, Chowki-Chowra, Sunderbani, Doongi and Poonch constituencies. While the delegation commended the efforts of the commission in framing the draft, it also urged the commission to settle down all the issues raised by the people. The Delimitation Commission had sought submission of objections by February 21 on the proposed draft of delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials, over 700 objections and suggestions were received. The Commission is expected to submit its final report by May 6, 2022. This will be the Commission’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir after July 2021 they had met about 300 delegations in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Previously, the Commission had released the interim report on February 6, 2022. On March 6, 2020, the Central Government constituted the Delimitation Commission under the chairmanship of Justice Retired Ranjana Desai, whose tenure has been extended twice. UNI