Delimitation commission: NC will clear its stand by evening, says Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR : National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday said his party has not taken any decision whether to be part of the delimitation commission or not.

“We will issue official statement by evening,” Farooq told news agency KINS.

LS Speaker Om Birla on Thursday nominated three NC MPs- Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Justice (reptd.) Hasnain Masoodi and Muhammad Akbar Lone- as associate members of delimitation commission.

NC MP Hasnian Masoodi said party was yet to decide whether to be part of the commission.
“Law says MPs of those states and union territories have to be associated members of the commission where delimitation is taking place. There was no consultation with us,” Masoodi told news agency KINS.
He said party will hold deliberations and clear its stand today. “They nominated us as per the law and now it is for us to decide how we should react. Individually I can’t be part of anything which is questioned and opposed by us before SC,” he added.
Another NC MP Mohammad Akbar Lone said they have been nominated without their consultation. “We have to now decide whether to be part of the commission. So far NC is concerned, our clear is stand that we won’t be part of any political activity till all political leaders are released,” Lone said.
The government had on 6 March constituted the commission, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, to redraw Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.
The National Conference has against the exercise and the reorganisation Act since it is a consequence of the scrapping of Article 370, carried out last year by the Centre.(KINS)