Text of the Proclamation
issued
by the Head of the Jammu and
Kashmir State
on 1st May, 1951.
Legal
Document No 121
Whereas it is the general desire of tile people of the
State of Jammu and Kashmir that a Constituent Assembly should be brought
into being for the purpose of framing a Constitution for the State;
Whereas it is commonly felt that the convening of the Assembly can no
longer be delayed without detriment to the future well-being of the State;
And whereas terms of the proclamation of the Mal1araja dated 5 March,
1948 in regard to the convening of a n Tonal assembly as contained hi clauses
4 to 6 of the operative part thereof do not meet the requirements of the
present situation;
I, Yuvraj Karan Singh, do hereby direct as follows:
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A Constituent Assembly consisting of representatives of the people, elected
on the basis of adult franchise shall be constituted forthwith for the
purpose of framing a constitution for the State of Jammu and Kashmir;
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For the purpose of the said elections the State shall be divided into a
number of territorial constituencies each containing a population of 40,000
or as near thereto as possible and each electing one member. A delimitation
Committee shall be set up by the Government to make recommendations as
to the number of constituencies and the limits of each constituency;
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Elections to the Constituent Assembly shall be on the basis of adult franchise,
that is to say, every person who is a State subject of any class, is not
less than twenty-one years of age on tile first day of March, has been
a resident in the constituency for such period as may be prescribed by
the rules, shall be entitled to register in the electoral rolls of that
constituency, provided that any person who is of unsound mind or has been
so declared by a competent court, shall be disqualified for registration;
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The vote at the election shall tee direct and by secret ballot;
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The Constituent Assembly shall have power to act notwithstanding any vacancy
of the Membership thereof;
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The Constituent Assembly shall frame its own agenda and make rules for
the governing of its procedure and the conduct of its business;
The Government shall make such rules and issue such instructions and orders
as may be necessary to give effect to the terms of this proclamation.
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