SC issues notices to Centre, J&K govt on delimitation issue

The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government on a petition seeking de-limitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies in the state.

The petition filed by Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party has sought a direction from the Centre and the state government to constitute a commission for the purpose of delimiting the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies to re-adjust the extent, boundaries and rotation of constituencies in the state.

A bench comprising chief justice KG Balakrishnan and justice P Sathasivam also sought reply from the Election Commission on the PIL filed by the party.

Advocate Bhim Singh, who is the chairman of the party, submitted that the state government has taken the stand that no de-limitation shall be conducted till 2031.

"This would mean that the reserve constituencies for scheduled castes shall remain reserved and there shall be no reservation for the SCs and scheduled tribes community who were notified in 1993-94 particularly the Gujjars, the Bakerwals, the Gaddis and the Sippies," Singh said

He submitted that when the de-limitation process was underway before the last general elections, Jammu and Kashmir was excluded from the process.

Singh said he had earlier filed the petition in 2007 in the apex court seeking delimitation of the constituencies but was asked to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.