For the abrogation of article 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, the Home Minister Amit Shah had introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act that divided the erstwhile State of J&K into two union territories, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladkah. Whereas the former Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislative assembly, the latter, Ladakh, will be governed by a lieutenant Governor alone. This became effective from October 31, 2019. The act consists of 103 clauses, extends 106 central laws to the UTs, repeals 153 State laws, and abolishes the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council among other things. The act has also given powers to central government to pass a number of executive orders in relation to both the union territories. The orders have resulted in the modification or repealing of over 400 state and central laws with respect to the union territories. The act has been challenged in court through different petitions.
In the meanwhile, the Home Minister had assured the parliament that while Ladakh is going to be a permanent union territory, Jammu and Kashmir will be restored with statehood as and when the conditions of the UT of J&K will restore to normalcy. Government took effective and meaningful measures to restore peace in the region and to expedite political and democratic process, successfully held Panchayati and DDC elections to restore democracy at grass root level. For ensuring peace and tranquillity in the state, the security forces and local police forces, jointly fought the menace of terrorism and with the inputs from the local population, achieved success in operating against the terrorists and neutralising hundreds of these terrorists thus ensuring peace. The stone pelting and hartals no more surface on daily basis. Record tourists have visited till date and the hotels are booked in advance for months together. Everything is back on track and this is giving trouble to the enemies across the border. Their efforts to disturb the peace and progress of people through attacking local civilians, innocent Pandits, and non- resident labours shows their frustration and futility.
Keeping its promise the government of India had set up a three-member commission headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai in March 2020. After a mammoth exercise of almost two years’ public hearings and reach out, the Delimitation Commission has notified its recommendations to public. The commission has redrawn the boundaries of the assembly and parliament.
After consultation with associated members, representatives of political parties, citizens and civil society groups, the delimitation commission recommended seven additional constituencies – six for Jammu and one for the valley. This will increase the number of seats in Jammu Division to 43 from 37 seats earlier, and in Kashmir Division to 47 from 46 earlier. A great deal of dissatisfaction is outpouring from Kashmir politicians who see it as a ploy to downsize the actual population ratio and increasing the seats in inappropriate manner. But the question remains that where not the most down-trodden ignored and even deprived of basic right to vote in the Jammu region for decades together? Was not there discrimination upfront when the POJK Refugees where kept totally out side the assembly constituency of Jammu. Did the Schedule Cast and Schedule Tribe not deserve to be represented for decades of rule by Kashmiri Politicians? In fact, the Jammu people feel a lot of discrimination not still ending when Anantnag district is mixed with Jammu Rajouri and formed into single Constituency only to make the two diverse Regions feel compulsively one. Nevertheless , it is heartening to observe that election process can now take place in J&K UT. The elected representatives will be back in actions to run a people’s elected government.
The delimitation commission has made following recommendations for Kashmiri Pandits who faced genocide at hands of Islamist forces in Kashmir and are presently living outside Kashmir in government refugee camps and private hired accommodations since 1990.
The commission mentions that at least two members (one must be a female) from the community of Kashmiri Migrants in the Legislative Assembly and such members may be given power at par with the power of nominated members, of the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Puducherry.
We have seen the fate of Minority representatives in the assembly. Our requirement is political empowerment to our people in true sense through a territorial settlement, where we can seal our fate according to our own existence. Separate Homeland with Union territory status is the only solution. Let us elect our own leaders through adult franchise. We are a tormented community; we don't want to live with our tormentors under their siege.
Maharajshah2001@gmail.com
Maharaj Shah
