J&K delimitation panel holds first meeting, three NC members absent
NEW DELHI: The process of redrawing boundaries of electoral constituencies should take into account not just population but aspects such as geographical features, communication, and connectivity, Lok Sabha MPS from Jammu suggested on Thursday in the first meeting of the Delimitation Commission on Jammu & Kashmir.
The National Conference MPS from Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Akbar Lone, who are also associate members of the Commission, did not attend the meeting, and said the exercise itself was “unconstitutional”.
According to the people aware of the matter, Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office and MP from Udhampur, and Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP from Jammu, said at the meeting that delimitation of constituencies should consider existing boundaries of administrative units, communications, public convenience, with special attention to the local terrain.
When contacted, Sharma said suggestions from associate members were elicited in the meeting. “We will give the suggestions that will then be taken up at the subsequent meetings,” he told HT.
The commission, which will end its term on March 5, was set up a year ago by the Union law & justice ministry with a mandate to redraw the constituencies in the Union territory in accordance with the provisions of Part V of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and Delimitation Act, 2002.
MPS from Kashmir, who skipped the meeting chaired by justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, said in a letter to the commission “In our view, the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, is palpably unconstitutional and has been enacted in disregard and violation of mandate of the Constitution of India.”
Singh criticised the NC decision to skip the meeting. “This is not a platform for any kind of political posturing,” he said.
CHENNAI: At a time when Puducherry’s new Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has asked him to prove his majority in the state assembly on February 22, CM V Narayanasamy, 73, spoke to Divya Chandrababu about the four MLAS who quit the party, the upcoming floor test, and the Congress’s prospects in the state elections this year. Edited excerpts:
Are you ready to face the floor test?
They’ve asked for a floor test. I’m clear, whenever we have been asked, that we will do according to the Constitution.
Are you in talks with any of the MLAS who have quit? Have you accepted Malladi Krishna Rao’s resignation?
We are talking to Malladi Krishna Rao. The other people’s resignations have been accepted.
Are you saying you have a majority including him which will take your support to 15 MLAS?
I’m not going into numbers. We have got a majority.
You seem confident that your government won’t fall.
Definitely. Whatever they (the BJP) do, it will be a death knell for them. People will say these are the people who are responsible for topping the government.
Now that the L-G has taken charge, do you see it as a relief because you wanted the President to call back
Kiran Bedi?
She (Soundararajan) took oath in Tamil. For the first time a Tamilian has been appointed as L-G to take additional charge. But we have to see, you know the attitude of the Government of India, and the present NDA government.
Some central BJP leaders said that Bedi was removed so that your standoff with her doesn’t work in your favour in the upcoming polls.
Let them say that. Our main grievance is against the central government. Kiran Bedi is secondary for us. Our main issue is the central government denied the genuine rights to the people of Puducherry.
Do you believe there was a plan to bring your government down ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s visit ?
In politics, we have to face everything boldly. We will face any eventuality The people of Puducherry love the Gandhi family.
But your government has been weakened two months before elections.
This is the BJP’S ploy in every state. They purchase and blackmail MLAS. They use ED, CBI, I-T against the opposition party leaders. That’s what they did in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. They are murdering democracy.
Are you saying they purchased or blackmailed the four MLAS who have resigned?
Not four MLAS. I’m telling you about the three MLAS -- except Malladi Krishna Rao -- they’ve been blackmailed by BJP.
What about your own candidature?
Our Congress-led UPA alliance will come to power. Our leadership and alliance parties will have to decide (on the CM candidate)