SC dismisses petition against redrawing constituencies in J&K

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

A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and comprising Justice A.S. Oka clarified that the decision on delimitation would not affect a separate batch of matters where abrogation of Article 370 is under challenge before a constitution bench of the apex court. The detailed judgment will be uploaded later in the day.

The apex court delivered judgment in a petition filed by two Srinagar residents, Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Dr Mohammad Ayub Mattoo, challenging the increase in the number of seats from 107 to 114 in the UT. 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.

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.