Congress in Manipur Urges Postponement of Delimitation Until 2026
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Synopsis
On April 2, the Congress party in Manipur opposed delimitation exercises based on the 2001 census, advocating for rectification of census errors first. The party insists on using the 2021 census for any delimitation and is calling for a delay until 2026 amid ongoing ethnic conflicts.
Key Takeaways
- Congress opposes delimitation based on 2001 census.
- Demands correction of census data before re-demarcation.
- Population growth discrepancies noted in nine subdivisions.
- Urges for delimitation to rely on 2021 Census.
- Calls for postponement of delimitation until 2026.
Imphal, April 2 (NationPress) The Congress in Manipur on Wednesday voiced its opposition to any potential delimitation exercises in the state that are based on the 2001 census report. The primary opposition party is calling for a comprehensive correction of the census data prior to any re-demarcation of electoral boundaries.
The Vice-President of Congress in Manipur, Hareshwar Goswami, highlighted that discrepancies in the 2001 census were identified, particularly noting a disproportionate growth rate of residents in nine subdivisions across three districts of the state.
“In several subdivisions, the population growth rate exceeded 100 percent,” he informed the press.
The Congress leader stated that while the party is in favor of delimitation, it must rely on accurate census data devoid of mistakes. He asserted that it is widely recognized that the 2001 census contained numerous irregularities.
“The majority of the populace, along with political entities, civil societies, and social organizations in Manipur, do not oppose the delimitation process. However, they insist that it should be conducted based on a legitimate census,” Goswami emphasized.
Expressing the Congress's position on the re-demarcation of electoral boundaries, he stated that this exercise must be conducted using the 2021 Census and urged that delimitation be postponed until 2026. He implored the government not to proceed with delimitation based on the flawed 2001 census.
On March 25, leaders from 16 political parties in Manipur convened for an important meeting, urging the Central government to delay delimitation of constituencies until 2026, coinciding with the national delimitation that will incorporate new census data.
CPI-M Manipur state leader Kshetrimayum Santa, one of the three convenors of the March 25 meeting, reported that neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition Congress attended the gathering.
“The meeting concluded that delimitation in Manipur should be postponed until corrections are made to the 2001 census errors. We have also resolved to request that the Central government defer delimitation until 2026 when national delimitation will be undertaken with updated census figures,” Santa stated.
He noted that given the ongoing ethnic conflicts in Manipur since May 3, 2023, it is impractical to conduct delimitation.
“Should any delimitation exercise occur in Manipur, it could lead to severe public disturbances. Therefore, delimitation is currently unfeasible,” the Left leader asserted.
The March 25 meeting of the 16 political parties followed a recent order from the Supreme Court mandating the completion of pending delimitation exercises in the northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam, within the next three months.
Among the participants at the March 25 meeting were representatives from parties such as AAP, BSP, CPI-M, NPP, CPI, JD-U, Naga People’s Front, RPI-A, AIFB, Trinamool Congress, NCP, NCP (SP), SP, RSP, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), and the Manipur People’s Party.
