| Under-representation of Jammu province in Lok Sabha, Assembly | | Congress's Hollow Claims | | Rustam
JAMMU, Mar 10: The Congress on Sunday claimed that NC-Congress coalition Government in the State headed by Omar Abdullah has played a "significant role in ensuring development to all the regions of State". It asserted that both Central and the State Governments have come to the "expectations" of the people. The Congress's claims appear hollow when viewed in the light of the ground situation. One can refer to here hundreds of examples to prove as hollow the Congress's claims, but a reference here to just examples would be enough to lay bare the disparities between the Congress's claim and the actual ground situation. As per the latest voters list made public by the election authorities, the total number of voters in Jammu province is 32 lakh plus and the number of voters in the Kashmir valley 35 lakh. Jammu returns two members to the Lok Sabha at the rate of one per 16 lakh plus voters on an average.
According to the latest figures of eligible voters, the number of voters in the Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary constituency is 17,63,579 and Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary seats 14,12,794. Jammu province has two seats at the rate of one per 13,146.5 sq km. On the contrary, Kashmir returns three members to the Lok Sabha at the rate one per 11,66,666.6 voters on an average. To be more precise, the number of voters in Srinagar-Budgam Parliamentary constituency is 11.71 lakh, Baramulla-Kupwara Parliamentary constituency 11.52 lakh and Anantnag-Pulwama Parliamentary constituency 12.72 lakh. Besides, unlike Jammu province, Kashmir has three Lok Sabha seats at the rate of one per 5,317.6 sq km.
The difference between the electorates between Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary constituency and Srinagar-Budgan Parliamentary constituency is 5,92,579 and between Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency and Baramulla-Kupwara Parliamentary constituency is 2,60,794. These are huge differences and just cannot be justified.
As per the 2002 voters list, there were 30,59,986 voters in the Jammu province and 28, 83,550 voters in Kashmir. In other words, in 2004 and 2009, the people of Jammu province returned two members to the Lok Sabha at the rate of one per 15,29,993 voters and Kashmir elected three members at the rate of one per 9,61,183. 33 voters - a huge difference of 5,68,810 votes per seat.
As said, the number of voters in Jammu province and Kashmir Valley is 32 lakh plus and 35 lakh, respectively. The difference is less than three lakh. But Jammu province returns 37 members to the Assembly at the rate of one per 86,486.5 votes on an average. Besides, Jammu province has 37 seats at the rate of one per 710 sq km on an average. In contrast, Kashmir elects 46 members to the Assembly at the rate of one per 76,087 voters. Kashmir valley has 46 Assembly seats at the rate of one per 344 sq km on an average.
Even a casual glance at these figures would be enough to reach three logical conclusions. One, the people of Jammu province have been denied proper representation in the lawmaking bodies which discuss and decide questions of supreme importance to the happiness and welfare of the people. Two, Kashmir elects three members to the Lok Sabha just for the reason that it has nearly three lakh more voters as compared to Jammu province. Three, Kashmir valley returns nine members more to the Assembly. In other words, for less than three lakh more voters Kashmir returns nine members at the rate of one per 27,000 voters. Will the Congress look all these facts in the face and revise their formulations? |
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