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India dismisses Pakistan’s remarks on delimitation bill
New Delhi: India on Friday dismissed Pakistan’s reaction to the proposed Delimitation Bill, firmly stating that the country’s internal matters are not subject to external commentary.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India “rejects any attempts to intrude” into its domestic processes. The remarks came during a weekly press briefing in response to statements made by Pakistani officials.
The controversy stems from provisions in the Delimitation Bill that relate to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The proposed legislation allows for a future delimitation exercise that includes areas currently under Pakistan’s control.
New Delhi has consistently maintained that the region is an integral part of India, and the bill reflects this long-standing position.
Pakistan reacted strongly to the development, rejecting the proposed delimitation process. Its foreign ministry described the move as “illegal” and criticised India’s approach to Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani officials argued that any attempt to redraw constituencies in the region, including PoK, is not acceptable. The response has added to ongoing tensions between the two countries over the status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In its response, India reiterated that matters related to delimitation fall entirely within its sovereign domain. Officials emphasised that external opinions or objections would not influence internal legislative processes.
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The MEA underscored that such comments from Pakistan are consistent with its long-standing stance but do not alter India’s position on the issue.
The Delimitation Bill is currently under discussion in Parliament as part of a broader set of electoral reforms. It proposes changes to constituency boundaries, including provisions related to Jammu and Kashmir.
The debate around the bill has drawn both domestic political reactions and international attention, particularly due to its implications for representation and territorial claims.
