NEW DELHI: Following the delimitation of Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission has started the preparations to hold the Assembly elections in the Union Territory in October-November this year as well as the Lok Sabha by-elections, the EC sources on Thursday said.
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh had earlier last month sought a response from the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir administration and the Election Commission within six weeks, following a petition by two Kashmir residents, challenging the constitution of the delimitation commission to redraw the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory.
The 3-member delimitation commission, headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai had submitted its final report earlier in May, recommending an Assembly of 90 MLAs, increasing the seats in Jammu region from 37 to 43 and in Kashmir region from 46 to 47. The 24 seats in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will continue to remain vacant.
The Lok Sabha constituencies remain unchanged at 8, but with changes in their area.
It is also for the first time that nine seats have been proposed for Scheduled Tribes by the commission to improve their representation in the assembly.
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