Delimitation bill has provision for EC to conduct exercise in Pak-occupied J&K | India News
New Delhi: In a move that is consistent with New Delhi’s consistent position that Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) is an integral part of India, the Boundary Bill, 2026 has included a provision to ratify Election Commission Governing the delimitation of constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir which are currently occupied by Pakistan whenever they “cease to be occupied”.J&K Legislative Assembly electorate 90; This does not include the 24 seats in the POJK which remain ‘vacant’ and are not considered in calculating the total number of members of the Assembly. The Union Territories Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 allows the Boundary Commission to decide on the revised strength of the J&K Legislative Assembly, which will not be below the current 114 seats. It reverts the provision of the J&K Reorganization Act to exclude POJK areas and constituencies while delimiting J&K’s regional constituencies.The bill proposes to amend Section 15 of the J&K Reorganization Act so that the number of women nominated to the J&K Legislative Assembly by the LG can be increased from two to three. However, this will be increased only after the constituencies realignment based on the new demarcation takes effect.According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the provisions of Union Territories Government Act, 1963, Government of Delhi National Capital Region Act, 1991 and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 are based on the existing constitutional framework related to population, delimitation and reservation.
