Dimapur, April 26 (MExN): The General Secretary of the Naga Hoho, Neingulo Krome, during the meeting of the Delimitation Commission with tribal Hoho representatives, appealed to the Commission to consider the case of the districts deserving of additional seats but without affecting existing seats which stood to lose their allotted seats under the present delimitation exercise. Speaking to the Delimitation Commission of India, led by Deputy Election Commission (Delimitation)/OSD to Chairman, Delimitation Commission Dr. M. Sarangi at NAPTC Conference Hall Chumukedima, today, Neingulo said that the Indian Government should use their wisdom and increase the number of seats for those deserving districts who have suffered while allowing other districts to retain their respective seats under the new arrangement.
It may be added in this regard the Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio in his statement on delimitation on the floor of the 10th Nagaland Legislative Assembly had suggested a similar arrangement, wherein considering the special position of Nagaland under the Constitution, Delimitation should not be implemented in the state until the number of seats in the Assembly was increased from 60 to 80.
However it was evident that an amicable solution to the controversy was not within reach with the announcement of Dr. M. Sarangi, that the commission had come to merely “take down points” for further deliberation and rectification at the ‘higher levels’. Saying that they had no power to dictate the time for the implementation of the delimitation, the Commission however revealed that but it was time bound to finish the exercise by the end of its last tenure, i.e. July, 2007 and added that unless the President of India issued orders for implementation immediately after July, the Act was doubtful of affecting the coming election.
Various points of views were presented during the day-long discussion on the issues like the allocation of seats for assembly constituencies in various districts, composition of A/C within the law and guideline of the Delimitation Commission in such a way as to maintain the integrity and compositeness of various tribes and ascertaining views on whether the entitlement of seats for the districts should be as per 1971 or 2001 census.
Groups advocating status quo of the present arrangement pointed to the enormous discrepancies in the 2001 Census saying that the delimitation should not be implemented on the basis of such a census. Citing the example of certain districts which showed a population growth as high as 107.16 percentage, this group said that a fresh and realistic census should be initiated and until then, the delimitation exercise should be stayed. However the other group standing for implementation of the total implementation of delimitation refuted charges by questioning the groups as to why the said census which was earlier been accepted by agency, had been brought up after two years.
Despite the various validation and counter-validation presented by the Hohos, no conclusive outcome was drawn and the Delimitation Commission only assured the participants that each of their point of views would be considered and the next step would be intimated to everyone before a final conclusion was arrived at.
On queries about the impending court case in regard to the delimitation exercise, Dr. Sarangi said that the court has allowed the delimitation process to continue even though the commission is seriously concerned about the court case as it is expecting a final verdict on May 3, 2007. Regarding the change of name of the assembly constituencies from the present existing ones, the commission assured that it would retain the names of present assembly constituencies as far as possible unless it so happens that the constituencies changes drastically that the name becomes irrelevant. Dr. Sarangi was accompanied by Secretary, Delimitation Commission, Shangara Ram and Legal Adviser S.K. Mendiratta. The concluding remark of the meeting was delivered by State Election Commissioner and Ex-Officio member, Delimitation Commission of India, T.N. Mannen.
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