Appeal for execution of Delimitation Act intensifies

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) A eight-member high-level delegation of minor Naga Tribal communities has urged Delimitation Commission Chairman Kuldeep Singh to implement the 'Delimitation Act', providing constitutional justice, denied so far, to the minority tribal communities.

During an hour-long meeting held here yesterday, the delegation further demanded that the Act be implemented in letter and spirit.

Later talking to UNI, Joint Action Comittee (JAC) Convenor E Konpemo Ovung said the minor tribal communities were concentrated in six of the 12 districts in the State.

He alleged that the major tribal communities, who were at the helm of affairs in the state administration as well as in the State's political set-up, managed to secure all the benefits which were due to the minor tribals.

He said even the five nominated members that were selected by the State assembly speaker were from the major tribal communities.

He said earlier each of the State assembly constituencies were decided on basis of its population, which was fixed at 33000 on the basis of 1963 census report, and the same was maintained in 1972 delimitation report, with a variation of 10 per cent on either ways. But it was now been revised at 29,567 and that too only of tribal population. The same formula applied in the adjoining States of Arunacal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

He said even then the minor tribal communities, representing the remaining six districts, will gains six assembly seats, while the major tribal groups will loose equal number of seats in other six districts where the major tribes were mostly concentrated, he added.

He said the minor tribal groups will gain one seat each in Wokha, Dimapur, Peren and Kiphire. In the new way of dispensation, the minor tribes will gain two seats in Longleng.

Similarly, the major tribal groups will lose their strength in the State assembly, one seat each from Mon and Tuensang and two seats each from Mokokchung and Zunheboto.

The delegation is expected to meet Union Law Minister H R Bharadwaj, apprise him of the ground realities of the State and request him to send a team to assces the situation.

The delegation urged Justice Singh to not relay the information supplied by the State Election Comission but assces the ground realities. In the event, if they failed to secure the justice for the minor tribal communities of the State, then they should opt the legal recourse.

He said the issue was supported by the highest Naga body, the Naga Hohos, from six-affected districts of Nagaland.

UNI