The writer is an author and a lawyer based in Mumbai.
IT is very unfortunate that at their very first test members of the People’s Alliance of the Gupkar Declaration in Kashmir split on the issue of delimitation of assembly constituencies. Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party refused to appear before the Delimitation Commission. All were agreed that the wrongs of Aug 4, 2019, should be undone first.
Delimitation is one of the most delicate and highly controversial problems in democratic governance. But it is also ignored until controversy catches up with it. The issue is simple. How do you draw up the boundaries of electoral constituencies in order to ensure fairness to all? Britain woke up pretty late to the problem. There is an electoral commission, a late entrant. It establishes boundary committees and evaluates its reports. Rules prescribe guidance.