Parties Kashmir received an invitation to meet with members of the J & K Delimitation Commission

Kashmir-based political parties and civil society groups have accepted the invitation of the J&K Delimitation Commission, headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, and can meet its members during their visit to the Valley on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), headed by Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday decided to remain faraway from the Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission exercise, saying “there are apprehensions the result is pre-planned, it’ll further end in political disempowerment of J&K’s people and is aimed toward realising the political vision of a specific political party”.

A National Conference leader said a five-member team, comprising Abdul Raheem Rather, Mohammad Shafi, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Nasir Aslam Wani and Sakina Ittoo, will meet the panel and put forth the party’s suggestions.

Farooq Abdullah of the NC spearheads the Gupkar alliance, an amalgam of 5 political parties, which has been critical of the Centre’s move of August 5, 2019, and has demanded the pre-August 5 position.

Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference has nominated four party leaders, the BJP four, Altaf Bukhari’s J&K Apni party prepared an inventory of 5 leaders and therefore the Congress named six leaders to satisfy the visiting commission in Srinagar. Leaders of the BSP, the CPI and therefore the CPI-M also will meet the panel. However, the PDP had not nominated any leader till Tuesday evening.

The commission’s members will hold a series of meetings with political parties, district election officers and other stakeholders during their four-day stay starting Wednesday.

According to J&K Reorganisation Act, the U.T. will add seven more constituencies to its 83-member Assembly before elections. The commission is remitted to delineate the boundaries of latest Assembly constituencies. many delegations, including civil society groups, have expressed their desire to satisfy the commission.

Besides Justice Desai, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and therefore the J&K Election Commissioner are members of the commission. The commission also will visit south Kashmir, Jammu and therefore the Chenab valley in coming days.

Earlier, the NC had boycotted the commission, saying it had challenged the J&K Reorganisation Act before the court. However, it decided to satisfy the commission following an all-party meet organised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Midsummer Day in New Delhi .

The Centre has pressed for a timeline for J&K, which can first see completion of the delimitation process, followed by elections within the U.T. However, the Gupkar alliance has involved restoration of statehood after the delimitation process.