In Toto
• Delimitation should be implemented in total. It is high time for the people of Nagaland not to think only for one sided advantage but also make space for those who have been long deprived of privilege to grow in equal pace.
• For reasons being highlighted by the Phoms, Zeliangs, Lothas, Rengmas, et al.
• Everybody/district is entitled to their fair share of seats and justice can only be done if the act is implemented in its totality. The DCI did not pluck the delimitation act out of thin air but it came about only after a systematic process therefore instead of diluting it with vested interest the working paper one which the DCI put forward should be accepted in its totality.
• Total delimitation! But before that, a computerization of total re-census with individual identity for all local and non-local: domicile certificate holders, government servants from other state, ILP holders, etc is a must. That way everyone including a new born should be issued a smart ID card after police verification.
Minor Readjustment within District
• Minor readjustment within the district should be carried out. Basing on 2001 census the population growth rate of 107%, 95%, etc in some districts is not justifiable. Also the national household size is 5.3, in Nagaland 6.1 but in some villages it is 14. So instead of delimitation, extensive family planning programme should be carried out in those districts.
• It is only too well known that the census figures in Nagaland is most unreliable. For instance, Nagaland population grew by a staggering 67% during 1991-2001! Most population experts believe that the state’s actual population growth during the same period was around 25-35%.This shows that census figures were inflated in many parts of Nagaland, the main reason being the objective to gain political strength by grabbing more assembly seats through delimitation. Therefore to apply inter district delimitation would be fallacious. Citizens of every district will try their level best to report the largest population possible and thus the very purpose of delimitation will be defeated. For example, a district in Nagaland registered 98% growth in population within the ten year period (1991-2001). This is just impossible! It is not that the fertility rate is high in that district. The fertility rate is below the state average, the birth rate is below state average, the migration (from other districts to that district) is minimal. Every factor was below state average ...but then its population growth reported was 98%- reported nowhere in the world with the same conditions. The Nagaland census figures may fool a common person but not a population expert. Therefore, I believe that the delimitation should be restricted to within the districts. This will ensure that adjustments can be made and at the same time avoid the unnecessary competition especially among the uni tribal districts to exaggerate population figures.
