SRINAGAR: CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Sunday said that the draft proposal of the Delimitation Commission has recommended a ‘strange geographical layout’ for redrawing the boundaries of several parliamentary and assembly poll constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The draft proposal shared by the Commission with its associate members—as media reports suggest—seems even incongruous with the Commission’s earlier argument of taking into account the topography and difficult terrain while re-mapping the poll constituencies”, Tarigami said in a statement.
“The Commission has proposed an arbitrary overhaul in the existing territorial constituencies with no regard for even the terrain, let alone the population that tends to be a basic parameter for redrawing the boundaries of assembly and parliamentary segments,” he said.
He said that the Commission has proposed carving of Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency comprising Rajouri and Poonch districts from Jammu division, and Anantnag, Kulgam and parts of Shopian from Kashmir division.
“The fair weather Mughal road connecting the districts of Poonch and Rajouri with Kulgam and Anantnag districts via Shopian remains shut for months together, making the border districts off-limits to the Valley. The draft proposal lays bare the utter disregard for the topography and tribal population,” he said.