The National Conference (NC) on Tuesday told the Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai that the exercise to demarcate Assembly constituencies will be a credible effort in strengthening democracy only after full statehood is restored to J&K.
A 5-member delegation of the NC led by a senior party leader Abdul Rahim Rather submitted a memorandum to the commission that arrived on four days visit to J&K.
“In our view, the J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 is palpably unconstitutional and was enacted in disregard and violation of mandate and the spirit of constitution of India and therefore not to be acted upon. We have thrown challenge to constitutional validity of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
However, despite our basic reservations on the issue, the Hon’ble commission has decided to go ahead with the delimitation process. While reiterating our stand and without prejudice to the submissions made above, we request you and other Hon’ble members of the Commission to carry out the delimitation exercise in a free, fair and transparent manner so that the unity and integrity of the state is safeguarded”, the memorandum said.
Population has to be the only norm as has been the practice here in the past in J&K and elsewhere in the country, the NC demanded.
Other members of the NC deligation were; Mohammad Shafi Uri, Main Altaf, Nasir Aslam Wani and Sakina Itoo who held detailed discussions and later submitted the memorandum on behalf of the party.
A delegation of the Congress also met the commission and claimed that the delimitation exercise was unconstitutional.
The Peoples Conference led by Sajad Lone also met the commission and submitted a memorandum seeking free and transparent exercise.