Sanajaoba pitches for Parl seat rejig
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 20 2021:
Titular king of Manipur and Rajya Sabha member Leishembam Sanajaoba has demanded inclusion of eight assembly segments of Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency in the inner constituency in order to address the long-deprived right to contest parliamentary election by the non-ST voters living in the said eight assembly segments.
Leishemba Sanajaoba raised the demand as special mention on the second day of the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament on Tuesday.
While raising the demand, the MP said, "Manipur has 60 assembly constituencies and two parliamentary constituencies.
Out of these 60 ACs, eight ACs namely Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Khang-abok, Wabagai, Kakching, Hiyanglam, Sugnu and Jiribam are included in the outer parliamentary constituency, which is reserved for ST communities since 1952".As a result, more than 3 lakhs non-ST voters have been deprived of their democratic rights to contest parliamentary election for the last 68 years since they do not belong to ST even though they are allowed to cast votes, the MP pointed out, while urging the Central government to realign the parliamentary constituency of Manipur for including the eight assembly segments in the outer parliamentary constituency to the inner parliamentary constituency.