Delimitation Commission for J&K fails: Kashmiri organisation

New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) A day after Delimitation Commission submitted its recommendation, a Kashmiri organisation on Friday slammed it for "failing" to mention the Parliamentary and Assembly seats for PoK and Shaksgam Valley.

Satish Mahaldar of 'JK Peace Forum' alleged: "Even after the reorganisation of the state under the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2O19, it was mandatory for the Delimitation Commission to mention Assembly seats for the PoK, which has not been mentioned in the gazette. This has hurt the sentiments of the people of India, more so of J&K."

He alleged that while abolishing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, the Central government changed the provisions related to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir by reserving 24 seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, framed in the year 1956, stipulated 24 seats in the Legislative Assembly, which were left vacant, Mahaldar added.

He said successive governments have virtually abandoned people of Jammu and Kashmir's claim on PoK and Sakshgam valley. Government of India's political thinkers and officials contributed to the lethargic approach towards claim on PoK and Sakshgam valley and India's stance on maintaining the status quo, discounting the reality that Pakistan was constantly challenging the same. India had, advertently or inadvertently, projected that it was inclined towards a status quo-centric solution on Kashmir.

The J-K Peace Forum said India has declared the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK and Shaksgam Valley as an integral part of the country and any issue related to them is an internal matter of India.

"The Commission should have also taken into account the views of the Supreme Court while delimiting additional seats for the Parliamentary and Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK and Shaksgam Valley.

According to the Supreme Court, delimitation is not an exercise in mathematics. It should reflect the political aspirations of a society bound in a particular geography." it said