Delimitation Will End Family Politics: Jammu Kashmir

Delimitation will end family politics, Kashmir’s flag-bearing parties will go on the backfoot: Jammu Kashmir.

There is a stir in the political circles regarding the process of delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir. This is also justified because the political future of many will be completely affected by this.

If the delimitation takes place according to the set rules, the balance of power and political system in Jammu and Kashmir will be completely changed. Traditional political parties and faces may also change.

This delimitation will not be Jammu vs Kashmir or Hindu vs Muslim as claimed by National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, or some other parties like them.

It is not just limited to increase the number of seats or possible change in their nature, it will also ensure reservation in the legislature for the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes.

Those who claim to be the flag bearers of Kashmir and Muslims will be seen going on the backfoot.

The process of delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir has been adopted under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act passed on August 5, 2019.

Under the Reorganization Act, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has now been reorganized into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Ladakh was considered a part of the Kashmir division until some time before the reorganization act came into force.

Due to this, the Kashmir division was shown more than the Jammu division on the basis of land, population, and many other points.

Under the guise of this, the continuous neglect in the political and other activities of the Jammu division has been justified.

Well, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, created under the Reorganization Act, also has a Legislative Assembly.

To complete the process of delimitation before its formation, the Delimitation Commission was constituted under the leadership of Justice (Retd) Ranjana Desai in March last year, whose term has been extended for one year in March this year.

It also includes the five MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, whose role is advisory. Of these five, three MPs belong to the National Conference and two to the BJP.

The NC has initially opposed this and has indicated to attend the delimitation meeting last month so that it can ensure its interests while defending its position at the time of change of constituencies.

Like the PDP, the NC and other Kashmir-centric parties were earlier opposing the delimitation, calling it completely anti-Kashmir, calling it against the Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir.

Their fear is not just because the delimitation is done properly then the dominance of these parties or the supremacy of the leaders of these parties will end.

Delimitation will end family politics: 107 seats in Jammu and Kashmir from 111.

Before the reorganization act came into force, there were 111 seats in the state assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

These included 46 seats in the Kashmir division, four in Ladakh, and 37 in the Jammu division, besides 24 seats reserved for slave Kashmir.

Now four seats in Ladakh have been exhausted and 107 seats are left in Jammu and Kashmir. Seven seats are proposed to be increased.

Ladakh is now separated from Kashmir, so now Kashmir-centric parties cannot tell their territory more than the Jammu division.

In terms of population, many districts of Kashmir lag behind the districts of the Jammu division.

Even in terms of road connectivity and regional geographical conditions, the situation of the Jammu division, barring a few areas, does not stand anywhere in comparison to Kashmir.

Apart from this, there is also a constitutional provision for the reservation of tribal populations and scheduled castes.

Jammu division may have seats from 37 to 44:

If the delimitation commission will keep in mind the set points, then the number of assembly constituencies in Jammu division will increase and the seats of Jammu will increase from 37 to 44.

While Kashmir will have 46 seats, and such a situation Kashmir-centred political parties will lose dominance in Kashmir.

As many other parties will also register victories in their areas of influence in Kashmir. Most of these parties would not like to go with NC, PDP.

Delimitation will end family politics: 11 seats will be reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

In Jammu and Kashmir, out of the existing 83 assembly seats, seven are reserved for Scheduled Castes and all of them are only in the Jammu division and in areas with a Hindu majority population.

Apart from this, 11 seats will also be reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Under the present circumstances, not a single seat is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Gujjar, Bakkarwal, Sippy, Gaddi communities are prominent among the Scheduled Tribes in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Gaddi community has the least population and is non-Muslim only in the areas of Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah, and Bani, while others are in the entire state.

There is a significant number of tribal communities in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Banihal, Kulgam, Baramulla, Shopian, Kupwara, Ganderbal.

National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress, and now People’s Conference, Jammu Kashmir Apni Party, or some other parties like these claim to be champions of these communities.