SC Dismisses Petition Against Delimitation In Jammu and Kashmir

The Supreme Court on Monday affirmed the delimitation of Assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the plea challenging delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir. A plea challenging the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir was filed by two Kashmir residents — Abdul Gani Khan and Muhammad Ayub Matto. The petitioners had argued that it was ultra vires Articles 81, 82, 170, 330 and 332 of the Indian Constitution and Section 63 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka said that it has not ruled upon the validity of the Jammu & Kashmir Re-organisation Act, 2019, which is pending before the Supreme Court among the batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 dividing the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, the Delimitation Commission was appointed to redraw the Assembly constituencies of J&K. The commission submitted its report recommending 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory.