JAMMU, 03.07.21: Confederation SC ST & OBC demands representation in Delimitation Commission was to demand representation in the Delimitation Commission as a nominated member.
RK Kalsotra, State President, said that the historic decision of abrogation of Article 370 was done to reverse the injustice faced by the people of the state over the past 7 decades. The union government decided to carry out a fresh delimitation of seats, which became necessary after the change in the borders of the erstwhile state, increase in the number of seats in the assembly, and the introduction of reservation for Scheduled Tribes in elections.
Kalsotra said that we would like to appeal to the union government and the delimitation commission to nominate one associate member from the SC/ST sections of the UT for the remainder of its tenure. Presently, our communities do not have a member of parliament and as a result, we remain unrepresented in the delimitation commission.
We would also like to appeal that the government and delimitation commission should take the decision of Aug 5, 2019, to its logical conclusion by ensuring that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes get adequate representation in the assembly. We, therefore, like to submit that it would be more appropriate for the government to postpose delimitation until after a clean census is conducted. Delimitation should be conducted only after correct population shares are available. And, elections should follow only after that.
Kalsotra added that the next delimitation will happen along with the rest of the country after the first census conducted after 2026, i.e., after the 2031 Census. If we accept delimitation on the basis of 2011 Census, we will be governed for the next decade by faulty data. Everywhere in India, the population share of Scheduled Castes (SC) has increased over time as they have higher fertility compared to other social groups due to socio-economic disadvantage. However, the population share of SC in Jammu and Kashmir’s population has been decreasing. In 1991, census could not be conducted in the state. The population share of SCs was 7.6 per cent as per the 2001 Census, which declined to 7.38 per cent in 2011! This is contrary to the trend observed across the country and an artefact of the faulty census conducted in 2011. According to the estimates done by the confederation, the population share of SCs in more than 15 per cent, and of STs, more than 20 per cent.
It is, therefore, our solemn demand that the delimitation be postponed for another year and be conducted soon after the provisional population totals of the next census are released.
Kalsotra added that the confederation, however, has already sent a request to seek an appointment with the commission to submit our concrete proposals in support of our demands with respect to the correction of the 2011 Census data to secure adequate representation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, special provisions for West Pakistan Refugees, rotation of reserved seats and representation of SC/ST sections of our UT in the parliament.
Others Confederation leaders who spoke during the conference included Ch Mohd. Shafi Bajjad, Laxman Bhagat, Mohinder Kumar, Ishtiaq Bhatti, M L Chadgal, S D Thappa & Karan Raja