MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 4: The AJK government is yet to amend secondary laws in keeping with a constitutional amendment introduced two months ago to raise the strength of the legislative assembly, Dawn has learnt from official sources.

The amendment to the state’s interim constitution (Act 1974) was approved by the joint session of the AJK legislative assembly and the AJK council on June 3 whereby seats of the lower house were increased from 48 to 49.

The additional seat has been given to Muzaffarabad district on account of its population.

However, the secondary laws, which will specify the details of seat allocation, have not been enacted despite the passage of two months to the constitutional amendment.

According to sources, the laws requiring amendments are the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Ordinance 1970 and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1970.

In the first law’s sub sections 1 and 4 of section 2, the words 28 and 40 will be replaced by the words 29 and 41, respectively, and in the second law, the name of newly created Neelum district will be inserted in the Schedule I.

Neelum district has been carved out of Muzaffarabad district but notwithstanding its large area, its share in the assembly is only one seat.

The additional seat has gone to Muzaffarabad district but the total figure of its constituencies in the schedule I, i.e. six, will remain unchanged.

According to sources, at least three of the five existing constituencies in Muzaffarabad district will be re-demarcated to create the sixth constituency.

When contacted, an official said that under the rules of business, the Election Commission should have initiated the issue of the amendment to the laws with the government because delimitation of constituencies was its responsibility.

However, so far there has been no such move on the part the commission, he said.