Tarigami wonders why rights being denied to people of J&K

Srinagar: Senior CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Thursday said the decision of the Centre to link the holding of Assembly elections with Delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir was bizarre as redrawing of the constituencies could also be done after the polls.

'In Assam, the Election Commission first notified and then de-notified the Delimitation process last year. This was done to ensure that Assembly elections in Assam, which are scheduled to be held in next few weeks, are held on time,' he said.

'Why couldn't the same logic apply to Jammu and Kashmir,' asked the CPI (M) leader.

'Why weren't the Assembly elections held in J&K with Parliamentary elections in 2019 or since November 2018, when the Assembly was dissolved?,' he wondered.

'Even the Constitution of India was amended twice; the 42nd Amendment in 1976 and the 84th Amendment in 2002 deferring the delimitation of constituencies till the first population census after 2026, effectively till 2031,' noted Mr Tarigami.

He said bypassing the Delimitation Act of 2002, in the case of J&K, the Delimitation Commission's mandate has been severely compromised ab-initio.

He said J&K’s special unique situation was always an 'eyesore' for the BJP and RSS.

'Holding of elections, which is a universally acceptable principle, and the Constitution of India which says that the Assembly should be formed in time, has been denied to the people of J&K since November 2018,' added the CPI(M) leader.

He said before and after the abrogation of special status of J&K under Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in August 2019, the BJP leadership has been delaying the Assembly polls on one pretext or the other

“Even in Parliament, the BJP government several times claimed that the statehood will be restored to J&K, but these statements have remained elusive to papers only.

'Legitimate Constitutional rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir are being denied,' he added.

Updated On 2/26/2021 10:59:56 AM