Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: Former minister and senior Congress leader, Raman Bhalla has batted for holding the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir in a free, fair and transparent manner and said that the process should be completed in shortest possible time to pave way for early Assembly elections.
He said that the Party favours early delimitation in a time-bound manner and completion of the process for the early conduct of Assembly elections in the J&K. He said the delimitation exercise should be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and norms and procedure prescribed under the law taking into account various parameters of population, area, terrain, topography and other such considerations in order to ensure complete justice with each and every area.
“Since the BJP Government at the Centre has absolute majority and J&K UT is under Lt Governor’s rule, let them expedite the process and complete it for early holding the Assembly polls”, he said.
Addressing a gathering at Belicharana today, Bhalla doubted the intention of the BJP for vested political interests and said that entire exercise should be held in a transparent manner as per settled norms and law on the subject and taking the people of different parts and constituencies in to confidence. He said ruling party leaders are looking for selective benefits which will be counterproductive and hurt the interests of people in the long run.
Bhalla said that last time a delimitation exercise took place in J&K during 1995, when the State was under President’s rule. The delimitation panel was headed by Justice KK Gupta (Retd). As per Section 60 of J&K Reorganization Act, the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly shall be increased from 107 to 114. Delimitation of constituencies must be carried out to determine the number of seats to be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Assembly. The delimitation panel will also determine the Assembly constituencies into which the UT shall be divided, the extent of such constituencies and which of these shall be reserved for SCs/STs. The panel is also tasked with adjustment of boundaries and description of the extent of parliamentary constituencies in each UT.
He demanded that the Delimitation Commission should ensure complete justice to each region, sub region and different areas and sections of the society.
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