The Editorial Analysis-Drawing a Line

Table of Contents

Drawing a Line- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 2: Federalism- Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

J&K Delimitation Commission in its report proposed remapping of Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory (UT).
This has got the entire spectrum of regional parties in the Kashmir Valley up in arms. At the core of their protest is the fear of a shift of political power to the Jammu region.

Background: The J&K Delimitation Commission was constituted on March 6, 2020, by virtue of the Parliament Act under the provisions of Part V of the J&K Reorganization Act, 2019.
Mandate: J&K Delimitation Commission was mandated to redraw and delineate seven additional Assembly segments to the 83-member Legislative Assembly of the UT.

Factors considered for additional constituencies-
- Inadequate communication and
- Lack of public conveniences due to their excessive remoteness or inhospitable conditions on the international border.
The J&K Delimitation Commission has suggested six additional Assembly segments in Jammu, from 37 to 43, and one in the Valley, from 46 to 47.
Reservation for SC/ST:
- The J&K Delimitation Commission has suggested reserving seven seats for Scheduled Castes (Hindus) that mainly populate the Samba-Kathua-Jammu-Udhampur belt.
- The commission, for the first time ever, has also earmarked nine seats for Scheduled Tribes.
- This is likely to benefit the Rajouri-Poonch belt with the highest concentration of STs, mainly non-Kashmiri-speaking Muslims.

Opposition from Local Political Parties: shift of political power to the Jammu region has led to protest by political parties.
- Fear has grown especially after the reorganization of the erstwhile J&K State into two UTs and the controversial elimination of its special constitutional status in 2019.
Shift of Political Power: Proposed remapping of Assembly constituencies may result in the shift of political power from the Muslim region to the Hindu region.
Enhancing the share of Jammu: The allocation seems to enhance the electoral prospects of the Jammu-based parties at the cost of the Kashmir-based ones.
- Valley parties have opposed the draft as “unacceptable” and “divisive” and question its legality.
Constitutional Validity: There is a national freeze on delimitation, and the constitutional challenge to the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, is still pending before the Supreme Court.

Continuing arbitrariness and heavy-handed measures to repurpose the politics of J&K may appear successful momentarily, but that may not be the sustainable route.
Government must adopt a democratic path driven by more conversations and accommodative measures with the ultimate goal of providing statehood to the J&K.