Election Commission holds first internal meeting on delimitation in J&K

According to official sources in the poll body, the Commission held the internal discussions and is waiting for a formal communication from the Union Home Ministry on delimitation.

The meeting was attended by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, election commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra, and other senior officials of the Commission, sources said.

According to the Re-organisation Act passed by the Parliament, the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will come into existence on October 31, the birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“The number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114”, said the Act.

There were reports that the Union government was planning to carry out delimitation in the state after complaints reportedly came from Jammu region that they were being discriminated as Kashmir region had more seats in the assembly.
The Commission had earlier considered holding assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir at the end of this year, however, after the bifurcation, it may be difficult as the delimitation exercise may take time.

According to officials, the poll body had a routine meeting; after Parliament passed the Re-organisation Act, it's natural for the Commission to meet to discuss the outcome. Similar meetings were held when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated.

"We will carry out the delimitation process after the Home Ministry conveys it officially", the sources said.