Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 28:
Favouring early implementation of the Delimitation Act passed by the Indian Parliament after necessary rectification by the State Legislatures, former Rajya Sabha MP and MLA BD Behring has categorically stated that the re-adjustment of the existing Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies of Manipur should be effected without considering the loss or the gain of both the valley and the hills but in the interest of the whole State.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here today, Behring said re-adjustment/delimitation of the two Parliamentary Constituencies and the 60 Assembly Constituencies in Manipur is necessary in view of the fact that around 2 lakh voters in eight Assembly Constituencies who belong to the Outer Parliamentary Constituency are being denied the right to contest in the election to the Parliament although they have been given the voting rights and there are some Assembly segments extending over district boundaries.
Over and above this, there is variation in the number of the Assembly seats in each district.
For instance, in accordance to the population ratio, Chandel being a district should have three seats in the Assembly as against the existing two seats, Behring asserted.
He pointed out that with exception to Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, delimitation of the Constituencies in other Indian States have already been completed.
Behring recalled that following the memorandum submitted jointly by the State political parties to the Delimitation Commission of India in October, 2005 and the subsequent case filed in the High Court praying for maintaining the status quo of the existing Assembly/Parliamentary segments in the wake of alleged abnormal growth of population in Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul Sub-divisions of Senapati district in accordance to the 2001 census, the High Court had stalled the delimitation process and issued an order on January 19, 2007 for recounting of the population in nine sub-divisions.
However, the Supreme Court has stayed the order of the High Court recently.
Inspite of the alleged abnormal growth of population, the Register General of India had decided to calculate the population growth in the three sub-divisions as per the normal population growth rate.
Accordingly, the total population of Manipur as per 2001 census has been finally declared as 22,93,896, he said, adding that the provisional census report had earlier published the total population as 23,88,643.