‘Centre likely to add more new members in days ahead’
Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, June 12 (KINS): Senior Bhartiya Janata Party leader and Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Friday said that there was no headway yet on the recently constituted delimitation commission as there was a possibility of appointment of more members in the days ahead.
“No meeting of the delimitation commission has taken place yet. There is no intimation about any meeting so far,” Jugal Kishore told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone from New Delhi.
Kishore was recently appointed as an associate member of the delimitation commission along with other BJP leader MoS PMO Dr Jitendera Singh, and three National Conference leaders Dr Farooq Abdullah, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Justice (Rtd) Hasnain Masoodi.
The NC leaders, however, decided to stay away from the exercise saying any move to participate in the exercise would tantamount to accept all the developments that unfolded post August 5 last year when erstwhile J&K was sliced into two Union Territories (UTs) and its special status under Article 370 was scrapped.
The BJP leader said that it looks like that in the days ahead, some more members of the commission may be appointed. “So that may be the reason why the delimitation process is not yet taking place,” he said.
Sources said that Centre may be zeroing in on some names for making the commission fully functional.
Asked about BJP’s stand for the delimitation process, Kishore said that “I am for justice for one and all. Regional imbalance must end and all must get justice for which they have been waiting since long.”
On NC leaders’ decision to stay away from the exercise, Kishore said that they should have participated in the exercise. “They should have put forth their views. Staying away is not a good move.”
It is to mention here that soon after the NC MPs were appointed as an associate member of the delimitation commission the party had said that its leaders will not be a part of the Delimitation Commission as it “goes against its party stand” on the issue of Abrogation of Article 370.
“With reference to the recently announced Delimitation Commission announced by Government of India, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference today rejects this process and its three members of the Parliament will not participate in the said commission. This delimitation commission is a product of the J&K Re-organization Act 2019 which JKNC is challenging in and outside Hon’ble Supreme Court. Participating in this delimitation Commission will be tantamount to accepting the events of 5th Aug 2019 which the NC is unwilling to do,” the statement had said. (KINS)
