As the delimitation exercise has finally come to conclusion, it is time for the people to keep their fingers crossed as anytime from now onwards the Election Commission of India (ECI) can declare the election schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. It is pertinent to mention that Delimitation Commission has rendered yeoman’s service by completing the delimitation exercise in J&K in a short span of time despite number of bottlenecks including the worst ever pandemic COVID-19 that brought life to standstill for about two years in succession. According to the Law Ministry the orders of the Delimitation Commission which redrew the Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir have come into force yesterday and from now onwards the report of the Commission will form the basis of Assembly polls in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This change paved the way for the Assembly Elections in J&K followed by restoration of statehood as was announced by Home Minister Amit Shah on various occasions. Though several changes have been made in the delimitation exercise, the exact scenario will become clear only after the Assembly elections will be carried out in the UT as different views are being shared by the different political outfits with several criticizing the aforesaid exercise while others supporting the same. It is pertinent to mention that the delimitation panel had given six additional Assembly seats to Jammu region and one to Kashmir Valley and brought areas of Rajouri and Poonch under the Anantnag Parliamentary seat. Jammu division will now have 43 assembly seats and Kashmir 47 in the 90-member house. Although many political parties are making hue and cry over the changes made in the process, what will be the final outcome is nobody’s guess because it is not that easy to foretell things as far as electoral processes are concerned. Definitely the changes made in the constituencies’ structure will make a difference but who is going to get benefit out of it is still a big question and the answer to it lies only in the upcoming Assembly polls.
