The mercury may have plunged in Kashmir and the erstwhile state may be covered in snow but politics is certainly showing signs of a thaw. The renewed buzz in political circles comes after a hiatus of more than 28 months after the BJP-led central government scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated the state into Union territories in August 2019. In the past two months, political parties have defied the chill and hosted conventions and rallies across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir.
The sudden in of activity has stoked speculation about the long-overdue assembly election as the delimitation exercise nears completion. The J&K Delimitation Commission, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, will submit its report to the Union home ministry in March next year. Except for the BJP, all the other major political parties have questioned the exercise of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies and increasing the number of seats under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. It is also being challenged legally in the Supreme Court.
The National Conference (NC), an associate member of the commission along with the BJP, is expected to attend the meeting on the issue on December 20 (they had skipped an earlier meeting on February 18, saying the matter was sub judice). Besides Desai, election commissioner Sushil Chandra and J&K state election commissioner K.K. Sharma are ex officio members while NC grandee Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Akbar Lone, along with the BJP’s Jugal Kishore Sharma and Union minister Jitendra Singh, make up the five parliamentarians who are associate members.
This story is from the December 27, 2021 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 27, 2021 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BACK IN THE FIGHT
Following failed alliance talks, the BJD strategically selects candidates to challenge BJP's nominees, marking the onset of an electoral showdown
THE OBC PUSHBACK
A new political outfit aims to take on Maratha candidates in 18 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats to secure socio-political space for OBCs
CROSS AND CURRENTS
The BJP fields Congress leader A.K. Antony's son in the Pathanamthitta LS seat. Can he upset the status quo, help the lotus bloom in central Kerala?
NEW DUO TAKE ON BIG TWO
J&K Apni Party and DPAP along with People's Conference hope to end the old dominance of the National Conference and the PDP in the Lok Sabha polls
BULLETS & BALLOTS
IT'S ELECTION SEASON, AND EASTERN UP'S BAHUBALIS ARE AGAIN MUCH IN DEMAND
KEJRIWAL AT A CROSSROADS
The AAP chief has been central to the party's fortunes. His arrest in the Delhi liquor scam row could put their Lok Sabha poll campaign in disarray, and even trigger an existential crisis within
THE QUEST FOR 400
THE PARTY SETS ABOUT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS HISTORIC FEAT WITH A CLEVER MIX OF STRATEGY, REALPOLITIK AND A WELL-DISSEMINATED NARRATIVE BUILT ON HINDUTVA AND DEVELOPMENT
BAND OF BROTHERS
MADHYA PRADESH WILL SOON HAVE A POLICE BAND IN EACH DISTRICT, IN A BID TO MAKE THE FORCE MORE PEOPLE-FRIENDLY
FIGHT FOR A FAIR SHARE
The differences between Karnataka and the Centre over disbursal of Union funds have escalated in the runup to the general election, with the state’s Siddaramaiah-led Congress government filing a writ petition in Supreme Court on March 23 seeking the release of central aid for drought relief.
INDIA'S GROWING WEALTH DIVIDE
THE FINDINGS HAVE REITERATED WHAT SEVERAL ECONOMISTS HAVE BEEN POINTING TO: THE STARK AND WIDENING WEALTH DIVIDE AMONG INDIANS, WITH THE PANDEMIC MAKING THINGS WORSE