Oppn MLAs walk-out on Delimitation
Commission
JAMMU,
Apr 2: Opposition MLAs from BJP
breakaway group, National Panthers Party and Jammu
State Morcha today staged a walk-out
in the Legislative Assembly in protest against rejection of their private
member’s bills and resolutions seeking constitution of Delimitation Commission
to increase and rotate reserved Assembly seats in Jammu region. As soon as the House began
its proceedings for the day, NPP MLAs—Harshdev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia
and Yash Pal Kundal and JSM legislator Ashwani Sharma raised the issue of
constitution of Delimitation Commission in the State. BJP breakaway group
leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta also supported the demand. Mr Sharma and Mr
Mankotia said they had submitted private member’s bills and resolutions on
setting up of Delimitation Commission, which hadn’t been listed. Speaker
Mubarak Gul assured the members that he would allow them to raise the issue
during Zero Hour and they shouldn’t make a debate out of it.
Congress
MLAs and former Ministers Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori
were seen countering the Opposition MLAs on the issue of Delimitation
Commission. Mr Saroori said the delimitation of constituencies has been frozen
till 2026 by an Act of the Legislature. NPP MLA Harshdev Singh urged the
Speaker to allow resolution on constitution of Delimitation Commission and fix
debate on it. Mr Mankotia said the Congress had taken votes on the name of
Delimitation Commission but were now opposing constitution of the Commission. Harshdev
Singh the 2002 Common Minimum Programme of Congress –PDP Government, drafted by
Dr Manmohan Singh (now Prime Minister of India) had assured constitution of the
Delimitation Commission. Mr Kundal said the reserved constituencies had to be
rotated after every two to three terms. However, he added, in J&K already
three elections have been held on reserved seats and candidates of general
categories were feeling isolated as the seats were not being rotated.
He
said the State agreed to Parliament’s proposal of freezing delimitation till
2026 but not reducing term of the Assembly to five year. “The Government does
whatever suits them,’’ Mr Kundal said. Ashwani Sharma said Jammu region was being deprived of political
powers by not setting up the Delimitation Commission. Harshdev pointed out that
every State has the Delimitation Commission excepting Jammu and Kashmir.
After 16 minutes
of uproar in the Assembly during which the Question Hour remained disrupted,
the NPP, JSM and BJP breakaway group MLAs excepting Prof Gharu Ram Bhagat
staged a walk-out in the Assembly. Mr Bhagat didn’t walk-out as the Speaker had
taken up his question. Speaking to media persons outside the Assembly
separately, NPP MLAs—Harshdev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia and JSM MLA Ashwani
Sharma said that delay in constitution of the Commission was a clear case of
discrimination with Jammu
region. “Jammu
has more area and population than Kashmir but
less Assembly seats. Moreover, the reserved seats had to be rotated after every
two to three terms. The Delimitation Commission was not being constituted as it
would benefit Jammu
region,’’ Harshdev said. Ashwani Sharma and Mr Mankotia said the Congress
in its 2008 election manifesto had also promised constitution of the
Delimitation Commission. However, they regretted, the Congress MLAs were now
opposing the Commission.
No comments:
Post a Comment