Congress MLAs oppose delimitation process in Manipur

Imphal, Dec 4 (UNI) The Congress MLAs in Manipur have opposed the delimitation process alleging that it had been based on a wrong census report.

Legislator M Hemanta said here today that his colleagues, camping in New Delhi, discussed the controversial matter with Chairman of the Delimitation Commission Justice Kuldip Singh last evening.

''The MLAs had a detailed discussion on the delimitation process presently going on for the state based on the 2001 census. Since the Census figures for Manipur, particularly for some of the districts are unrealistic, decadal growth being two per cent (Lamshang sub-division) to 169 per cent (Purul sub-division), the MLAs argued that any delimitation based on such unrealistic census figures would be unjustified,'' Mr Hemanta pointed out.

''It will hurt the sentiments of the majority of the people, except some unscrupulous people who played a mischievous role at the time of the Census, misusing money and muscle power,'' he claimed.

He also claimed that Justice Singh had fully understood the points the legislators raised and sympathised with their views.

However, Justice Singh informed that he was bound by the Delimitation Act where the basis for the delimitation had to be the 2001 Census.

Lately, on August one, 2007, the Manipur Assembly had adopted a resolution that a moratorium should be imposed on the delimitation process till a fresh Census was carried out and that delimitation should be based on the fresh Census figures.

Mr Hemanta demanded that the Centre should proclaim an ordinance to prohibit the delimitation process in the states of Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh where such problems existed.

UNI