'PoK is ours': Amit Shah declares 24 reserved seats for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly: Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted in Parliament on Wednesday that 24 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly have been reserved for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) because "PoK is ours."

This announcement came during Shah's response to the debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Redistribution of Seats

Shah highlighted the changes in seat allocation, stating that Jammu, which previously had 37 seats, now has 43, while Kashmir, which had 46 seats, now has 47. The Delimitation Commission, appointed by the Centre, has specifically reserved 24 seats for PoK.

Inclusion of Displaced Communities

During the delimitation process, representatives of various communities, including Kashmiri migrants and individuals displaced in PoK, submitted applications for their representation in the state assembly. Shah commended the Delimitation Commission for acknowledging these submissions. He noted that two seats in the state assembly were nominated for Kashmiri migrants, and one for a person displaced in PoK by the Election Commissioner of India.

POK हमारा है… pic.twitter.com/89KfO5ame5

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 6, 2023

Nominated Members and Justice for Displaced

Shah informed the Lok Sabha that there will now be five nominated members in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Additionally, the bills discussed aimed at bringing justice to those who had faced injustice. Shah emphasised that the legislation seeks to provide rights and representation to approximately 46,631 families and 1,57,967 individuals who were displaced in their own country.

The move to reserve seats for PoK reflects the government's stance on the region, as articulated by the Home Minister in Parliament.