New Delhi, August 17: After scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, the central government is reportedly planning for delimitation of seats in the state Assembly. Delimitation stands for the defining of the boundaries of assembly or parliamentary constituencies. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which divided the state into two union territories, the number of seats would be increased from 107 to 114.

"Delimitation of seats in Assembly here (Jammu and Kashmir) will have to be done again. There will be 114 seats here - 24 out of them are for PoK, they will stay vacant. Remaining 90 seats will be for the rest of Jammu And Kashmir," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav said on Friday. After holding a meeting with Gujjars and Bakarwals, Ram Madhav also reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir would get full statehood once normalcy returns. Reports of Centre's Delimitation Plans for J-K Draw Strong Reactions from Mainstream Parties.

"A Bill has been formed; by October end, laws will be formulated under it. After October 31, Jammu and Kashmir will stay a Union Territory with a legislature for some time and like the Home Minister clarified in Parliament, as situation normalises it'll be granted full statehood," the BJP leader said. According to reports, the Election Commission is also waiting for clarity on the delimitation of seats in the state assembly before announcing elections. J-K Delimitation: Dogra Group Demands 8 Seats for Jammu Region.

According to the Act, which will come into force on October 31, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have an Assembly. The Union Territory of Ladakh will not have an Assembly. According to section 60 of the Act, “…the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114….” The number 107 does not include the four seats now in Ladakh and two nominated members.

Section 63 of the Act says: “Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 59 to 61, until the relevant figures for the first census taken after the year 2026 have been published, it shall not be necessary to readjust the division of successor Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir into Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies….”

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly currently has 46 seats from Kashmir, which accounts for 54.93 per cent of the population of the undivided state; 37 seats from Jammu, which has 42.89 per cent of the population, and four from Ladakh (2.18 per cent). Twenty-four seats are allotted to Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which are left vacant, and two nominated MLAs in the 113-member House.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2019 08:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).