J&K Delimitation Commission likely to submit report by April end

The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission is likely to submit its report to the government by the end of April, sources have said.

As per the sources, once the commission submits its report, the Centre may take a call on holding the Assembly elections in J&K.

The sources also said that the Centre will review all aspects including the security facets.

The draft roll will be published, following which a 'door to door' verification of the electoral roll will be done. Centre will discuss the same during an all party meeting, the government sources elaborated.

The commission has proposed six new assembly constituencies in the Jammu region which would be carved out from Udhampur, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Samba and Kishtwar districts, the sources said. This will increase the number of Assembly seats from 37 to 43 in the Jammu region.

Similarly, one new seat has been proposed in Kashmir valley, to be carved out from the existing Kupwara district, thus making the assembly seats to 47 from 46 in the Kashmir region.

The commission is headed by the former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai, and comprises Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and State Election Commissioner K.K. Sharma.

The commission was established on March 6, 2020, with a one-year term to redraw the parliamentary and assembly constituencies of the J&K, six months after the reorganisation of the Union Territory.

The Commission was given one year extension in 2021 and again of two months by the Centre on March 6, 2022.