Chapter 6 Electoral Politics in The Erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir

 Q1- Collect information about any of the elections held in the erstwhile state of J&K.

Answer: The state of Jammu and Kashmir held its first ever election during the Pre-independence era. Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of erstwhile state started to adopt legislative assembly. It was also called Praja Sabha and started with seventy-five members. It commenced in 1934 with only thirty-three electoral members out of which twenty-one members were Muslim, ten were Hindus and two Sikhs. Maharaja also kept thirty seats for his special nomination only. 

The election of 1934 was restricted to village and district headmen, Priests, Managers of Religious Property, Title  Holders, Medical Practitioners, Pensioned  Officers/ Veteran Bureaucrats. Women in general were excluded. The Muslim conference was able to capture nineteen of twenty-one reserved seats and hence forth they changed to National Conference.

2- Match the following:

1.The first ever (Praja Sabha) Legislative Assembly through the regulation of Maharaja Hari Singh were conducted

(Ans:-) In 1934

2.The proclamation for the formation of Constituent Assembly was issued on

Ans:- May, ist 1951

3.Legislative Assembly suspended for six years

Ans:- After 1987 elections

Q3- Your friend was not in the classroom when this chapter was taught. When he came the next day and repeated what he heard from classmates.  Can you tell him what is wrong with the statement: 

a:- Maharaja Hari Singh ruled J&K till the accession of the state with India. So there is no need for Praja Sabha (Elected Legislative Assembly) in 1934...

Ans:

• Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir province started the first ever legislative assembly.
• He held the assembly in 1934 with only thirty-three elected members.
• He started with seventy-five members (Praja Sabha).
• Twenty-one seats were reserved for Muslim members, ten seats for Hindus, two for Sikhs and thirty seats reserved for Maharaja's nominated members.
• The state bureaucracy also had twelve nominations. 
• Women in general were excluded from the election.

 

b:- For Praja Sabha elections, the right to vote was not on the basis of Universal Adult Franchise.  Does it mean that practice should continue in present time also?

Ans: The Universal adult franchise gives the right to vote. The constitution of India gives voting rights without discrimination of gender, caste, religion, age, etc. In the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, 1934 election was restricted to only village and district headmen,  , Managers of Religious Property, Title Holders, Medical Practitioners, Pensioned Officers/ Veteran Bureaucrats. Women were also generally excluded from the process.