Delimitation dilemma

The indication of the Election Commission that it would soon announce delimitation of the 60 assembly segments in Tripura has put both the ruling coalition as well as the opposition in a tight spot.

If the Election Commission indeed orders delimitation in view of 2001 census report, as hinted by Deputy Election Commissioner of India S. Mendiratta during his visit to the State, in all likelihood the Assembly elections slated for next February will have to be postponed for another two or three months putting all the political and administrative preparedness in disarray. Neither the State Government nor the opposition were expecting delimitation before the Assembly polls and both the State Government and the political parties started preparing keeping in mind that the election will be held in February.  The revision of electoral roll is already on and is scheduled to be published in January.

But now if delimitation is announced in November, a darft of the map and areas of the assembly segments will have to be published. This will again entail claims and objections on the delimitation draft. Then will come hearing and then final demarcation of the assembly areas. Even if it is done on a war footing, the entire process will take at least two months or more, says Congress legislator Ratan Lal Nath.

Since it is certain that all the Assembly segments will find changes in its areas and the electors, another draft of electoral roll will be necessary to go to the polls. This not only means delay in holding the elections but also a headache for all the political parties.

Both the ruling and opposition parties, the sitting and aspirant MLAs have formed their poll infrastructure and chalked out poll strategies keeping in mind the existing assembly areas and trend of the electorate. Now, if the Assembly segments are changed with inclusion and exclusion of existing areas as well as electorates, they will have to restart it from the beginning again.

The delimitation of assembly may also play a key role in determining the winning prospect of a candidate in the constituencies where winning margin is very thin. Any inclusion of areas with electorate from neighbouring constituency (which also means exclusion in the other) may change the vote margin throwing away the poll equations of a candidate and  his party.
 
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