Jammu: The J&K government has nominated 20 nodal officers for having liaison with the Delimitation Commission at the district level.
The nominations have been made following the direction of the Delimitation Commission to the J&K Chief Secretary during a meeting on Friday morning.
“They will be the nodal officers in respect of the districts allotted to them for having liaison with the Delimitation Commission in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. They shall be responsible for assisting the Deputy Commissioners in providing timely information as may be sought by the Commission; receiving representations from stakeholders for submission to the Commission and any other work as may be assigned by the Commission,” reads the order issued by GAD Commissioner Secretary M K Dwivedi.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra, during media interaction on the last day of Delimitation Commission’s 4-day visit to J&K on July 9, had informed that the Commission had directed the Chief Secretary to nominate one officer, not below the rank of the ADC, to work as a Nodal Officer for the work of the delimitation under the supervision of a Deputy Commissioner.
“If a person requires to give some suggestion or information on delimitation, even now after we’ve wound up this visit, can submit his representation to the Nodal Officer to be communicated to the Delimitation Commission for its consideration by the time it (Commission) finalises its draft,” the CEC had stated.
As per the GAD order number 607, Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Anantnag shall be the Nodal Officer for Anantnag district; Parvaiz Rahim, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Bandipora shall be the Nodal Officer for Bandipora district; Rafiq Ahmad Lone, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Baramulla for Baramulla district; Akramullah Tak Additional District Development Commissioner, Budgam for Budgm district.
Mohammed Idrees Lone, Deputy District Election Officer Doda has been made Nodal Officer for Doda district; Farooq Ahmed Baba Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal for Ganderbal district; Satish Kumar Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu for Jammu district, Sandeep Seiontra Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), Kathua for Kathua district. Sham Lal, Additional District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar for Kishtwar district.
Similarly, Showkat Ahmad Rather, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam has been made Nodal Officer for Kulgam district; Shabir Ahmad Wani Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Kupwara for Kupwara district; Abdul Sattar Additional District Development Commissioner, Poonch for Poonch district. Nowshad Ahmad Rather, District Statistical and Evaluation Officer Pulwama for Pulwama district.
Sachin Dev Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner has been made Nodal Officer in Rajouri district; Harbans Lal Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ramban for Ramban district; Sanjay Kumar Badyal, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Reasi for Reasi district;
Rajeev Magotra Deputy District Election Officer, Samba for Samba district; Rizwan Asgar Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Shopian for Shopian district.
Sandeep Singh Bali, Assistant Commissioner (Nazool), Srinagar has been made Nodal Officer for Srinagar district while Shavi Deputy District Election Officer, Udhampur will be the Nodal Officer in Udhampur district.
CEC Chandra had stated that the Commission would also take into account the suggestions and representations gathered by the Nodal Officers while preparing its draft.
The 3-member Delimitation Commission, comprising its chairperson Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, CEC Sushil Chandra and the State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma, was on its maiden 4-day visit to J&K from July 6 to 9.
“A draft of delimitation will be prepared. The views of the Associate members, who are part of the Commission, will also be taken before the draft is made public. Thereafter the draft recommendations will be put in public domain for comments. After taking into account all those comments, concerns, a final draft will be prepared. So the opportunity will be given to the public at large to lodge their objections again vis-a-vis the draft. So the purpose of the Commission is to take view of all stakeholders in this particular exercise,” the CEC had maintained.
“Any person, a stakeholder can also send his or her suggestion directly to the Delimitation Commission. The Commission will definitely examine all those representations submitted to it,” he had assured.