Jharkahnd to await Centre's stand on delimitation issue

Ranchi, Jan 20 (UNI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda today said his government will await the Centre's action on the Delimitation Commission's new recommendation in which seats reserved for SC/ST population are likely to be reduced in the state.

On his return from New Delhi, Mr Koda this evening at press conference at his official residence said he called on the Prime Minister, Union Home Mninister, Union Law Minister, besides other senior leaders and termed the exercise as fruitful.

The state government unequivocally wanted that the present 28 seats for Assembly and five for Lok Sabha reserved for SDT/ST be maintained, he said.

He said the Centre had been informed of their demand and the state government would watch how Delhi made efforts to make a consensus emerge on the issue.

To a query Mr Koda said the government would try to see that status quo was maintained and then only the demand for enhancement of Assembly seats would follow.

As per Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's advice, Mr Koda said the NDA government in the next Assembly session would move a resoulution on 'seat increase' issue and send the same to the Centre for further action.

Mr Koda expressed concern over the proposed reduction of reserved seats as suggested by Delimitation Commission.

UNI