The post was lying vacant since October 29, when Girish Chandra Murmu relinquished it upon being named as the first Lieutenant Governor of the newly-created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. (File)

National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana Friday urged the government to clear the ambiguities on jobs, land and delimitation in Jammu & Kashmir.

“Confusing signals are coming from the Jammu based BJP leaders on these issues of vital importance from time to time, which instead of easing tensions and instilling a sense of confidence, create more doubts among the highly apprehensive and worried people,” the NC Leader said.

Rana described eligibility to jobs and ownership of lands as the most sensitive issue, since they affect future of local youth, who are already facing the brunt of burgeoning unemployment. This concern should, in fact, have been addressed by the Government on priority and much earlier but the element of the continued dilemma is making the young restive, he said while referring to the commotion generated by the recently withdrawn advertisement notice for various categories of posts in the High Court,

He slammed local BJP leaders for creating confusion over jobs and land by doling out tall assurances and indulging in policy decisions which are otherwise not their domain or prerogative. They come up with innovative solutions and promises and get away with these unceremoniously, he said and asked them not to pretend as extra-constitutional entities.

Rana also protested against statements being made by the BJP leaders over the conduct of assembly elections and holding of delimitation. Before exceeding their brief, they must understand that the delimitation of constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be undertaken before 2026. If still, these pretentious powerful leaders have any doubts, they better go through sections 63 and 64 of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, which explicitly says, “Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 59 to 61, until the relevant figures for the first census taken after the year 2026 have been published, it shall not be necessary to readjust the division of successor Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir into Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies and any reference to the “latest census figures” in this Part shall be construed as a reference to the 2011 census figures”.

He also drew the attention of local BJP leaders to Section 64 of the Act, which reads, “The procedure as provided in the law made by Parliament, shall apply, in relation to the delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies under this Part as they apply in relation to the delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies under that law”.

Rana said elections are part of democracy and every political party is supposed to be ready for such an exercise and process. He said Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a difficult phase and there is need first to reach out to the people win their hearts and minds and assuage their aspirations. This can thereafter be supplemented by a genuinely democratic political process, he added.

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