New Delhi, December 03: The Congress MLAs camping in Manipur Bhavan, New Delhi met Justice Kuldip Singh, Chairman of the Delimitation Commission of India in his office chamber at Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road here today at 12.30 pm.

A statement issued from Delhi by the rebel MLAs said that they had a detailed discussion on the delimitation process presently going on for the State of Manipur based on 2001 census population.

Since the census figure for Manipur particularly for some of the districts are unrealistic � decadal growth being 2% (Lamshang Sub-Division) to 169% (Purul Sub-Division), the team argued that any delimitation based on such unrealistic census figure would be unjustified.

It will hurt the sentiments of the majority of the people except for some unscrupulous people who played a mischievous role at the time of census by using money and muscle power.

Justice Kuldip Singh fully understood the points the MLAs raised and also shared their sentiments.

However, it was informed that he is bound by the Delimitation Act where the basis for the delimitation has to be 2001 census population.

It is also understood that the State Government so far failed to strike down the 2001 census figure through any Court, the statement said.

It is also cleared that though census is Central subject, it is carried out by the employees of the State Government over a period of time given by the Centre.

It shows that the State Government machineries particularly the Intelligence Department and District Administration of some of the districts miserably failed to get information about the malpractices and manipulations that were going on at the census time and to intervene into the matter.

Lately, on August 1, the Manipur Assembly adopted a resolution that a moratorium should be imposed on all the delimitation process till a fresh census is carried out and that delimitation should be based on fresh census figure.

It was for the State Government led by O Ibobi to pursue the matter or fight it out with the authorities concerned at the Centre.

Here also, Ibobi has miserably failed.

There is a Committee headed by O Ibobi Singh with representatives of other political parties like CPI, RJD, MPP, NCP etc.

for taking up the matter with the concerned authorities.

The Committee had some meetings and met some Central Ministers and reportedly submitted a memorandum in the matter.

As the matter was not pursued continuously and seriously by the State Govt, nothing positive has happened so far.

It is surprising that a few MLAs known for their stand against the integrity of Manipur who also walked out of the House during the time of taking resolution in the Assembly for freezing the 2001 Census and who are reportedly sent by Ibobi Singh to meet Central Congress leaders in Delhi for saving his chair went to the Election Commission today and submitted a memorandum to proceed with the delimitation process based on 2001 census.

If any unwanted things happened, Ibobi Singh led Government should be entirely responsible.

From the discussion with Justice Kuldip, it appears that the only solution lies in issuing of an Ordinance by the Centre wherein the States like Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are excluded from the delimitation.

The question is whether Ibobi would be able to impress upon the Central Govt for issuing such an Ordinance?, the statement of the rebel MLAs added.

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