EC would consider redistribution of constituencies
Madurai:In the wake of strong opposition from the Dalits in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalsamy said here that the EC would consider redistribution of reserved Lok Sabha constituencies across the State.The reserved constituencies are concentrated in a few northern districts under the present draft proposals of Delimitation Commission.The present reserved constituencies - Tenkasi (south zone), Pollachi and Rasipuram (west zone), Perambalur (central zone), Chidambaram and Sriperumbudur constituencies (north zone) and Nagapattinam (east zone) - are spreading over the entire state.
But according to the draft proposal of the delimitation panel, except Nagapattinam, all the other six reserved constituencies - Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore and Chidambaram - fall in northern districts of the state.This had upset the Dalits in southern districts, who claimed they have been left unrepresented in the legislature.The CEC made it clear that suggestions were welcome to distribute the seats all over the state during the public sitting of the Commission here.He was responding toquestions from those who pointed out that the draft proposal had deprived representation for certain dominant sections and geographical regions.On the lines of UP, the reserved seats could be reallocated, he observed and sought concrete suggestions to this effect.Elaborating, the CEC noted that it happened in UP that all the reserved LS constituencies were concentrated in one region, but redistribution was carried out with every division, comprising a few districts, having one each. Such a model could be adopted here also. The CEC’s interventionwas preceded by heated exchanges with the elected representatives, who were part of the panel, and those who deposed and presented their demands.
The Election Commission would hold another meeting on May 23 in Chennai to discuss the matter after which the draft proposals would be finalised, he said. Earlier in the day, the People’s Liberation Party, led by former legislator S K Murugavel Rajan, took out a protest rally and staged a demonstration in the city.The Puthiya Thamizhagam, led by Dr Krishnasamy, had called for a bandh on Friday, besides holding a token dawn to dusk fast at the block-level in the southern districts.
