Bhalla urged to stand against delimitation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 12 2025: A team of several political parties barring BJP and Congress today called on Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan and presented a strong case against carrying out delimitation based on the 2001 census data.

A delegation of NPP, JD(U), CPI(M), AAP, NCP, NCP(SP), RSP, RPI(A), Shiv Sena (UBT), MPP and BSP talked about the delimitation issue with the Governor for around one hour this afternoon.

They also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

Briefing media persons at NPP Manipur unit office, Naoremthong after their meeting with the Governor, NPP Manipur unit president Y Joykumar said that they pointed out the numerous errors in the 2001 census data and sought the Governor's intervention so that no delimitation exercise is carried out in Manipur based on faulty census data.

"We appealed to Ajay Kumar Bhalla to persuade the relevant Central authorities not to carry out delimitation in Manipur based on the faulty census data", he said.

The delegation cautioned the Governor that there may be very serious law and order problems if the Centre commits the blunder of carrying out delimitation in the State based on the faulty census data, he said.

They also pointed out that the time is not appropriate for delimitation considering the violence and unrest besieging the State since May 3, 2023.The 2001 census operation recorded abnormal population growth in some hill districts.

Chandel recorded 73 per cent growth rate and Senapati 83 per cent whereas the valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and Thoubal witnessed population growth of just around 18 per cent, Joykumar said.

The memorandum highlighted the possibility of the valley districts losing three/four Assembly seats if delimitation is carried out based on the outrageous census data, he said.

After listening attentively to the points raised by the delegation, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla stated that he would convey the same concerns to relevant authorities of the Government of India, according to Y Joykumar.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla informed that an order has been already issued for carrying out a fresh census operation in Manipur in 2026.Subsequently, the political delegates urged the Governor to see that delimitation is carried out after the census operation of 2026 is completed, Joykumar told the media.

JD(U) Oinam Nabakishore said that they presented detailed reports to the Governor including the agreements reached between the State Government and the Central Government on delimitation.

The delegation pointed out that the Central Government agreed to put delimitation in Manipur in abeyance in 2021 when Ajay Kumar Bhalla was serving as the Home Secretary, Government of India, Nabakishore said.

The delegates also urged the Governor to see that elections to the Autonomous District Councils and Municipal Councils are held at the earliest.

Pointing out that the ad-hoc committees formed by the previous Government have been running Panchayats after the expiry of the terms of the incumbent representatives, the delegation urged the Governor to dismiss the ad-hoc committees and hold fresh Panchayat elections at the earliest.

In response, the Governor stated that the Supreme Court's directive to carry out delimitation within three months does not say that delimitation should be carried out without fail in Manipur too.

The census operation of 2026 would be linked to Aadhaar.

People who do not have Aadhaar links would not be recorded in the census data, the Governor reportedly told the delegation.

The delegation also highlighted the severe inconveniences faced by the public due to digging out of roads in different parts of Imphal in the name of Sewerage Project Phase II .

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