Kashmir Parties Disappointed With SC Dismissal of Delimitation Petition

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) political parties are disappointed with the dismissal of a petition by the Supreme Court (SC) that challenged the Centre’s decision to constitute a Delimitation Commission for the Union Territory under provisions of the Delimitation Act, 2002, and the delimitation of Assembly constituencies based on the 2011 Census.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Central Committee member and former Kulgam MLA MY Tarigami, said that the decision is “another disappointment” for the people of J&K.

The spokesperson of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) argued that delimitation, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, is “unacceptable”. 

“They have disrupted the unity of people both in Jammu and Kashmir. It is just delimitation in the name of delimitation,” Tarigami told Newsclick. 

The petition was filed by Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Muhammad Ayub Matto from Srinagar. 

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti termed the Commission’s work “tactical rigging” ahead of the elections. 

Regional political parties, especially the PDP, have claimed that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been “tinkering too much” with the restive region and upending years of work and the democratic set-up. 

“How could they announce a judgement on the J&K Delimitation Commission, which is the outcome of the pending issues of J&K Reorganisation Act and Article 370? The Commission was a tactical rigging ahead of the elections to convert a majority population into a minority in J&K,” Mufti told reporters. 

Supreme Court verdict on J&K delimitation immaterial: Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/66TLNNXSgd

— Kashmir News Bureau (KNB) (@kashnewsbureau) February 13, 2023

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) also expressed disappointment but still sees a “silver lining”. JKNC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar called for an immediate hearing on the abrogation of J&K’s special status. 

“We are disappointed with the judgement, but there is a silver lining where the SC has not said anything adverse about our petition on the J&K Reorganisation Act since this petition has sort of clubbed with our petition,” Dar told NewsClick. 

The Commission was tasked to redraw the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in J&K. The final draft was published last May, which was flagged by local parties alleging that it was aimed to disempower Kashmiris. 

The panel increased the number of Assembly seats from 87 to 90 but added six seats to the Hindu-dominated Jammu division and only one to the Muslim-majority Kashmir division.