* * * Jharkhand News *
*Cabinet nod to delimitation* The Manmohan Singh Cabinet today decided to enforce the Delimitation Commission's orders on redrawing of constituencies across the country, paving the way for the next assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections to be held in accordance with the revised boundaries. The Union Cabinet's decision, which will have wide-ranging political ramifications for leaders as well as parties across the political spectrum throughout the country, would not apply only to four North-eastern states ~ Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland ~ besides Jharkhand. The information and broadcasting minister, Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, told reporters that the Cabinet decided to recommend to the President to issue notifications in respect of the remaining 24 states and Union Territories at the earliest. "This will bring the new delimitation orders issued by the Delimitation Commission into force and pave the way for election to the House of the People and the legislative assembly of each state on the basis of new territorial constituencies," he said. The orders also apply to Karnataka where assembly elections are due in coming months, resulting in an increase of 16 Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats. On this issue, Mr Dasmunshi said, "The moment the notification is signed, the states go by the delimited constituencies." The Cabinet approved a proposal to supersede the earlier Delimitation Order of 1976 and to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to reflect the changes in reservation of SC/ST assembly and parliamentary seats as per the newly delimited constituencies. The delimitation exercise has been deferred in the four north-eastern states following challenge to the legality of the process in courts. In Jharkhand, the process was given up as the number of ST-reserved constituencies was getting reduced. The Cabinet had earlier deferred the delimitation exercise in four North-eastern states and Jharkhand by approving amendments to the Delimitation Act 2002 and decided to promulgate an ordinance. thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=1&theme=&usrsess=1&id=190921 <http://dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name=kanchan%2Fkanchan156.txt&writer=kanchan> . *Jharkhand Blog @* jharkhand.org.in/blog<http://www.jharkhand.org.in/blog> -- Jharkhand News [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jharkhand Online Network http://www.jharkhand.org.uk
