With the Delimitation Commission yet to publish maps of the proposed new constituencies for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, a look at the Census 2011 administrative boundaries along with the draft list of tehsils in some seats points to islands, where a part of the constituency is completely cut off from the rest and surrounded by another constituency.
The Delimitation Commission, chaired by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and including Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the State Election Commissioner as ex-officio members, was likely to publish its draft for public comments soon, according to sources.
Political leaders participating in the delimitation process as well as independent observers have raised fears of “islands” being formed. Chattar Singh, a former vice-president of the Delhi Congress, who has been engaged with delimitation issues for years, used the administrative atlas for J&K and the draft proposals to find that many such islands were being proposed.
Wrong units used
For example, in Kishtwar district, where the number of constituencies has been proposed to be increased from two to three (Mughalmaidan, Kishtwar and Padder), Bounjwah tehsil was proposed to be in the Mughalmaidan constituency. However, one village in the tehsil, Kewah, would be completely surrounded by villages in the Kishtwar constituency, according to Mr. Singh’s analysis. Mr. Singh said the draft proposals had used the boundaries of the patwar halqa, an administrative unit of multiple villages, which in some cases included villages that were not located next to each other.
“This has happened because the basic principles have not been followed. The Delimitation Act, 2002 says that apart from population, the constituencies have to be geographically compact areas and contiguous. In my research, I have found several instances of islands being proposed,” Mr. Singh said.
The three Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MPs, who are associate members of the Delimitation Commission, including former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, have also raised concerns about the voter islands. In their submission to the Commission on February 14, the three MPs wrote that the Commission “has carved out geographical islands and joined with the other Assembly segments without any proximity or connectivity”. The MPs cited the example of Rajouri, where Sohna, Doongi and Bagla patwar circles had been added to Thana Mandi seat.
“The inhabitants of these areas have to cross entire Rajouri to reach Thana Mandi. All the fundamental legal parameters have been grossly violated with least consideration of the hardship the people may have to suffer,” they had said.
The Commission had once again sought the associate members’ responses till Friday after making some changes, according to sources. On Friday, the National Conference submitted an 18-page dissent note to the Delimitation Commission. The NC MPs stuck to their earlier stand, reflected in its objections filed in February where it questioned the panel’s constitutional validity and “unacceptable biased proposals”.
“Our stand on the Delimitation Commission remains unchanged. We hope the NC response is placed on the official website soon,” MP Hasnain Masoodi said.
Meanwhile, a response from Delimitation Commission officials would be added as and when it becomes available.
