Delimitation to be completed in Asom by next month: Chairman

Guwahati, June 2 (UNI) The delimitation of constituencies in Asom will be completed by end of July notwithstanding the massive protests incited by the draft proposal in the state.

Delimitation Commission Chairman Justice (retd) Kuldeep Singh said, ''The delimitation exercise will go forward as scheduled. We are aware of the protests and will take into consideration views and suggestions of all concerned.'' Justice Singh was interacting with the media here after meeting Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to discuss the possible situation during the public sittings of the Commission, which would sit at Jorhat and Guwahati on June 16, 18 and 19 respectively for public hearings on the draft proposal.

The chairman said compilation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was an important issue for the delimitation process in Asom, adding that it was beyond the preview of the Commission and the government would have to deal with it.

''The Lok Sabha Speaker had also contacted with us over the NRC issue but we are an independent body and will complete our talks.

The NRC is the responsibility of the government,'' he added.

He said the meeting with Mr Gogoi was with the intention of learning the background of the NRC issue first-hand and hence, the meeting was scheduled during the Commission's return to New Delhi after completing the public hearings in Meghalaya.

Giving details of his discussions with the Chief Minister, Justice Singh said, ''I had asked him whether his government will face any embarrassment during the public hearings.'' The chief minister, conceding that embarrassment could be there for the government, added that the state would also face a law and order situation.

He also assured of controlling any law and order situation. But the Commission is against putting any government in a tight situation.

He said that if the situation were not conducive for the public hearings, the Commission would have to adopt the alternative method of publishing the draft proposal more widely and taking suggestions only through post.

He said, ''The hearing will be in the interest of the people. But we will decide it after reviewing our visit when we reach New Delhi.'' Reiterating that only the draft proposal had been published and that it was liable to be completely revised depending on the public hearings, the former judge said, ''There are a lot of misapprehensions that the draft proposal cannot be revised.'' Referring to the controversy for the proposed de-reservation of Kokrajhar constituency, he said, Kokrajhar could be easily reserved again depending on the feedback in the public hearings.

He further said the Commission, whose term expeires on July 31 next, had received positive response in this regard, however, a few political parties were against this.

UNI