The Delimitation Commission led by Retd Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai will arrive in Srinagar today for a four-day visit to interact with political parties and district officials, among others on ongoing proces to carve out new constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Commission’s visit comes in days after the delimitation issue was discussed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-level meeting with eight political parties from J&K on June 24.
The Central government has sought the completion of the delimitation exercise before assembly elections are held.
People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a group of six major political parties along with National Conference (NC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that they were deceived over the outcome of an all-party meeting with Modi. The grouping has demanded the restoration of the region’s statehood before polls are held there.
The commission has invited leaders of political parties of J&K for separate meetings during its visit to the UT.
Party Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi said a five-member NC delegation will meet the commission, even as it earlier refused to engage with the panel.
Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah addressed their apprehensions about the delimitation said J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, adding that he will meet the commission along with leaders of other recognised parties.
However, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP remained silent on whether it will meeting the commission.
The commission will hold meetings in several districts of the Jammu and Kashmir region.
The commission delegates are also going to hold separate meetings with civil society groups and organisations once they attain prior approval and are allocated time slots by their respective deputy commissioners (DCs).
