Imphal, January 05: The Union Cabinet is informed to have recommended to the Delimitation Commission to put on hold the ongoing assembly constituency realignment with regard to four north Eastern States including Manipur.

The development was conveyed by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh while presiding a meeting of all political parties at the CM's conference hall today.

According to sources, the Chief Minister briefed representatives of political organisations on the State Cabinet sub-committee's recommendation to the Union Cabinet to promulgate an ordinance so that the delimitation exercise based on the 2001 census figure is not carried out in the NE States for the time being.

The CM quoted Convenor of the Delimitation Commission of India Pranab Mukherjee as saying that the Union Cabinet had already recommended for promulgation of the ordinance.

It had been reported that an all political party delegation of the State had recently called on the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi and apprised them against the delimitation exercise based on the allegedly controversial 2001 census report with the Central leaders assuring the team to put on hold the said exercise.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister is said to have asserted that the Union Cabinet had enlisted the delimitation issue in its agenda for issuance of the ordinance prior to start of the forthcoming winter session of Parliament.

He further informed that associate members of the Delimitation Commission of India would propose to the Delimitation Commission for status quo of assembly segments in the four NE States when the meeting of the Commission is held on january 11 at the national capital.

Representatives of political parties would also leave for New Delhi on January 10 to impress upon respective Central leaders against carrying out the same exercise based on the 2001 census.

The sources further cited ignorance of the State Government with regard to a reported move to replace seven assembly segments in Thoubal district with Bishnupur district ACs for inclusion in the Outer Parliamentary seat of Manipur.

Stating that the State Government has no knowledge on such a step, the sources revealed that the State Election Commission had proposed for the substitution on its own volition.

As heated exchange of words ensued on the issue at the meeting, the State Election Commissioner was summoned and quizzed by members of the all political party during which the Commissioner conceded to have made the proposal without prior intimation or consent of the State Government.

Moreover, the Commissioner revealed that a retrieval letter had been sent to the Delimitation Commission of India authorities on January 2 to withdraw the earlier proposal (letter) on the assembly segment exchange.

Meanwhile, Objection Committee Against the Delimitation of Bishnupur District has voiced strong resentment on the reported move to reduce assembly constituencies in the district from the present six to five, as well as to club ACs of the district to the Outer Parliamentary seat.

A statement of the Committee categorically asking the State Govt to abandon the proposed assembly seat realignment process, cautioned that in case of failure to honour sentiment of the district's denizens an uprising never before witnessed in the State cannot be ruled out.

Several civil society organisations also pledged their support to any movement initiated by the Committee on the matter.

Comment