Politics intensified in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the Delimitation Commission has submitted its report to five associate members on Friday.
The panel has rejected the objection of the National Conference to increase six assembly seats in Jammu province against just one in Kashmir Valley.
While the National Conference-the main opposition party in J&K, has rejected the recommendation of the panel, BJP supported the report of the Delimitation Commission.
"JKNC summarily rejects draft working papers made available by the Delimitation Commission to associate members on February 4, 2022. A detailed response will follow after the party has had time to discuss the implications of what has been proposed", the National Conference tweeted from its official Twitter handle.
Panel submits report to associate members
The Delimitation Commission on Friday submitted its report to five associate members and asked them to submit their objections or suggestions by February 14.
According to reports, the panel has upheld its earlier proposal of increasing six Assembly seats in the Jammu division as one in the Kashmir Valley despite objections filed by three National Conference members.
According to sources, the Commission has also decided to redraw the boundaries of five Lok Sabha constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir.
NC, PDP, Cong reject proposals of Delimitation Commission
National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Congress outrightly rejected recommendations of the delimitation panel.
Former Chief Minister and president of NC Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that he and his party outrightly reject the delimitation commission's second draft proposal while as the party MP Justice (Rtd) Hasnain Masoodi said the panel has gone by its own wish and will.
Masoodi said that the Delimitation Commission has thrown the recommendations put forth by the National Conference to the wind and the Commission has gone by their own will and wish.
A detailed response will follow after the party has had time to discuss the implications of what has been proposed.
— JKNC (@JKNC_) February 5, 2022
Rejecting the interim report of the Delimitation Commission PDP said that the Commission instead of a constitutional body has proved itself to be a frontal organization of ruling BJP.
"From the media reports regarding the interim recommendations of the commission, it was clear that the sole objective of the body was to ensure backdoor entry of BJP and its shadow organizations to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir", an official spokesman of the party said, adding that the apprehensions about the entire exercise expressed by the party have come true.
"PDP believes that the entire exercise of the delimitation is a part of a major ploy to disempower people of Jammu and Kashmir by division of secular and majority votes. Unfortunately, all the constitutional apparatus was being put into action to achieve this sinister design of BJP", the party said.
While rejecting the report, Congress said that norms, criteria, ground realities, and aspirations of people seem to have been ignored in the delimitation of Assembly segments and Lok Sabha constituencies.
In its first reaction as per reports in the media about the delimitation of assembly constituencies, Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said that the norms and fair criteria seem to have been ignored by the Commission.
BJP hails Delimitation Commission's report
While hailing recommendations of the panel, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said anybody who questions the working of the panel either has not studied enough the parameters which guide its working or they have some other motives.
"I am not here to react to what somebody has said. As far as BJP is concerned, we trust the legitimacy and the integrity of the Delimitation Commission which is constituted by the Election Commission of India which is a constitutional body. They follow certain norms and certain parameters which are already laid down. There cannot be any deviation," he said.
