The Hindu : J&K to form delimitation panel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 13, 2003

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J&K to form delimitation panel

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu Jan. 12. The Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, today said a delimitation commission will be constituted for fresh demarcation of the Assembly constituencies, keeping in view the present population and the area of the State.

Addressing a function held for felicitating the new legislators he said , "The new government is committed to fulfil the aspirations of the people. We will surely not disappoint the people who have voted us to power". Announcing the establishment of the commission, Mr. Sharma said, "the new government will respond to the popular view in favour of revision of constituencies on the basis of population and area". The commission was an election plank of many political parties in the recent elections.

The last delimitation commission was headed by the retired judge, K. K. Gupta in the 1980s. In the delimitation process of 1988 the number of seats was increased to the present 87. The strength of the Assembly is 111, but the remaining seats lie vacant earmarked for the area presently constituting Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Under the Congress regime in 1994, Parliament unanimously pledged to get back those areas from the illegal occupation of Pakistan. But there have been votaries in the State such as the former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, who have talked of conversion of the Line of Control as international border.

Mr. Sharma said all grievances about irrational delimitation of constituencies would be studied by the new commission.

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