Election Commission Holds Informal Discussions On Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation
EC is also learnt to have discussed the proposed delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, where assembly elections are due.
The Election Commission on Tuesday held informal discussions on reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories following the passage of the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, and revocation of Article 370 in the state.
EC is also learnt to have discussed the proposed delimitation exercise in J&K, where assembly elections are due. The state is currently under president’s rule.
According to the sources in the poll panel, the union home ministry is yet to formally write to EC on J&K reorganisation and the subsequent delimitation exercise as per the J&K Reorganisation Act.
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 Union Territory of J&K will have an Assembly. The Union Territory of Ladakh will not have an Assembly.”
Senior EC officials are learnt to have briefed the chief election commissioner and election commissioners about the J&K Reorganisation Act.
Once the EC gets a formal word from the government, it will call officials from the home ministry and J&K for discussions, sources said.