The term of the  Delimitation Commission, mandated to redraw the assembly constituencies of Jammu & Kashmir, has been extended by two months to complete its task.

The panel’s term was to end on March 6, but according to a law ministry notification, it has been extended till May 6.

What is delimitation?

• Delimitation means the process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body. 

• The job of delimitation is assigned to a high power body. Such a body is known as Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission.

Delimitation Commissions have been constituted in the past:

• In 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952

• In 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962

• In 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972

• In 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002.

• The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court. These orders come into force on a date to be specified by the President of India on this behalf. The copies of its orders are laid before the House of the People and the State Legislative Assembly concerned, but no modifications are permissible therein by them.

Delimitation in Jammu & Kashmir

• Delimitation in Jammu & Kashmir is being carried out as per the provisions of J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 that split the state into two UTs of Jammu & Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without an Assembly.

• Set up in March 2020, the Delimitation Commission is mandated to redraw the constituencies of Jammu & Kashmir which at present is under central rule.

• In March 2021, the panel headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, a former Supreme Court judge, was given one more year to complete its task. 

• The panel has Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the state election commissioner of Jammu & Kashmir as its ex-officio members.

• The delimitation is based on the Census of 2011 due to an amendment in the J&K Reorganisation Act.

• The latest delimitation in other parts of India has been done as per the Census of 2001. 

• The last delimitation of J&K was done in 1995 when the former state was under the President’s Rule.

• Before J&K was reorganised in 2019, there were 46 assembly seats in Kashmir, 37 in Jammu and four in Ladakh.

• The number of assembly seats in J&K after delimitation will increase from 107 to 114 that includes 24 seats for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

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