Ngaranmi Shimray
New Delhi
“Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body. The job of delimitation is assigned to a high power body. Such a body is known as Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission. In India, such Delimitation Commissions have been constituted 4 times – in 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002. The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court. These orders come into force on a date to be specified by the President of India in this behalf. The copies of its orders are laid before the House of the People and the State Legislative Assembly concerned, but no modifications are permissible therein by them.” Extract from Delimitation of Assam, 2023.
The above quote gives the background of what delimitation is about and the importance of the exercise as far as Manipur is concerned as it would become law and cannot be called in question before any court.
The delimitation ordered by the Supreme Court is based on Constitutional provisions and is to be implemented within three months in 4 NE states, including Manipur. It only entails alteration of the boundaries of constituencies to equally distribute population among the parliamentary and assembly seats. The number of Lok Sabha seats and assembly seats of Manipur has remained unaltered since 1971 census and will undergo changes only after 2026 as continuing the freeze on the total number of seats in each state till 2026 has been provided in the 84th amendment to Constitution. This means that the impending delimitation exercise will only affect the boundaries of constituencies in Manipur and not affect the total numbers. The delimitation exercise for Assam is completed, Arunachal and Nagaland is under process, but nothing has started in respect of Manipur.
Guidelines and methodology guides the Delimitation Commission of India and it prescribes that all parliamentary and assembly constituencies throughout the State should have similar size population as far as practicable allowing a deviation to the extent of plus or minus 10 percent from the State average population. Further, all assembly constituencies in a district should be confined within the territorial limits of that district, whenever possible i.e. an assembly constituency should not ordinarily extend to more than one district. Furthermore, as far as practicable, sub-divisions are to be kept intact as one administrative unit and not unnecessarily broken. In addition, they should be contiguous, and communication and convenience should be taken into consideration. It is also important to avoid putting areas that are separated by natural barriers, such as rivers, hilly ranges, or forests, in the same constituency. The delimitation process should start from the North and move towards the North-West and then proceed in a zigzag manner to end at the Southern side.
Some political party in Manipur, majority of them having greater influence in the valley, have opposed the implementation of delimitation exercise directed by the Supreme Court. These political parties fear that, even if the number of assembly seats in Manipur remains at 60, the valley district may lose out some seats to the hill districts on account of higher population figures in the hill areas as per population Census of 2001.
As far as seats in parliament is concerned, it is highly possible that the valley assembly constituencies of Thoubal and Jiribam falling in Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency may be deleted and added to Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency which would be received well by the voters of Thoubal district.
However, the main concern of the political parties appears to on the changes in assembly seats likely to take place between the valley and hills. Manipur has “hill areas” which is protected under Article 371-C and hence 20 assembly seats are given for hill areas of which 19 seats are reserved for ST category. As the delimitation exercise would be based on Census 2001 population figures, it is possible that the assembly seats in hill areas could increase at the expense of the valley.
The principles, guidelines and methodology for delimitation exercise is based on constitutional provisions for implementation across the country and has been laid down for all governments to implement under the Election commission of India. Opposing overdue delimitation exercise based on 2001 Census population, which has been already implemented across the country except in Arunachal, Nagaland and Manipur, is against the tenets of the Constitution. Since the existing methodology is based on size of population, states in south India who have successfully implemented population control programme are likely to lose seats and have stated objecting to the next delimitation exercise to be based on first Census population exercise taken after 2026. Most southern states having contained population growth is likely to lose out parliamentary seats to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh etc where the population control programme have failed upsetting the delicate north - south balance in parliament. In Manipur the family planning campaign, while successfully implemented in the valley, must have failed miserably in the backward hill areas resulting in higher population growth which could now narrow down difference in number of representatives between the valley and hill areas. The delimitation exercise is to be carried out as per constitutional provisions and the SC is ensuring that justice is not denied to the 4 north eastern states. Opposing the overdue delimitation directed by the SC would be unconstitutional and smacks of foul play by the dominant community. Hill areas of Manipur cannot wait for the next delimitation exercise which will take place based on the first Census population exercise to be carried out after 2026. The overdue delimitation exercise of Manipur based on 2001 census population figures should have taken place in 2002 along with other states. The state government dominated by the Meitei community had objected to the delimitation exercise in 2002 indicating that the tribes were either befooled or cowed down to accept the decision of the dominant community for postponing delimitation during 2002. The delay by 23 years has given more seats to the valley constituencies to enjoy the status quo of having 40 MLA seats for at least four assembly elections since 2002. The valley should be happy that status quo continued for them for 4 assembly elections, but should now accept realities provided under the Constitution and not oppose the delimitation exercise directed by the SC. On the other hand, had the delimitation exercise been done in 2002, the hill areas would have gained a few MLA seats from 2002 onwards for at least 4 elections. The dominant community has been advocating a policy of continuing their strategy of suppression and subjugation of the people in the “hill areas” by demanding ST status with ulterior designs to grab tribal lands in “hill areas”, threatened extension of MLR&LR Act to hill areas again to grab tribal lands, proposed amendment of Article 371-C of the Constitution with intention to interfere in the working of the Hill Areas Committee and compromise the special safeguards given to “hill areas” in respect to land and, to assuage the tribes by offering to carry out amendments to state law called the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 with limited empowerment when it is well known that nothing less than a Bodoland type of district/territorial council under Article 244 and Sixth Schedule would be acceptable now. All these attempts can be termed as strategies of the dominant community in Manipur to carry out their hegemonic designs of grabbing tribal lands in “hill areas” and continue their grip for suppression, exploitation and subjugation of the tribal people in “hill areas”. The rule of law has to be accepted and followed by the dominant community if Manipur has to remain as a single entity. These are modern times driven by technology and knowledge. The tribes are no longer simpletons and rustic. They are well informed and know their rights. They will fight for their rights as all the issues discussed above will impact their future and they will not standby and allow anybody to run roughshod over their future. The SC direction to implement constitutional provisions for justice and fair play to the people of Manipur should not be obstructed.
