The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Lok Sabha seats for SCs to be spread out

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Lok Sabha seats for SCs to be spread out

Staff Reporter

Delimitation Commission agrees to set right the anomaly

Bangalore: Chairman of the Delimitation Commission of India Kuldip Singh on Tuesday said the five Lok Sabha seats reserved for Scheduled Castes would be distributed throughout the State and not confined to areas that had a concentration of Scheduled Caste people.

He was addressing a press conference after a public hearing on the draft report on delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Mysore and Bangalore divisions.

Anomaly to be set right

Asked about criticism that the eastern parts of the State had been reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes leaving others without representation in the Lower House, Mr. Singh said the Commission would set right the anomaly and distribute the reserved seats throughout the State.

According to the draft, Bidar, Gulbarga, Chitradurga, Kolar and Bijapur Lok Sabha constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. Raichur and Bellary Lok Sabha seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates. While adjustments could be made with regard to the seats for Scheduled Castes, seats for Scheduled Tribes should be restricted to constituencies where they were concentrated. Mr. Singh said some changes would be made to the draft report after consultations with associate members of the Commission from the State and going through the objections received from political parties, organisations and individuals.

Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswamy, Chief Electoral Officer R. Ramaseshan, State Election Commissioner M.R. Hegde and associate members H.N. Ananth Kumar, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, P.G.R. Sindhia, Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal were present at the hearing with Mr. Singh. Legislative Assembly Speaker Krishna also attended.

To be considered

Representatives from Chikmagalur district won the first round when Mr. Singh assured them that the Commission would consider their request for retaining the Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency by adding three Assembly segments from the neighbouring districts.

Reduced seats

Representatives from Kodagu, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts had a peculiar problem: they said they would lose a constituency because of a reduction in population thanks to the successful implementation of birth control programmes. They should not be penalised for that.

The public hearing related to Chitradurga, Bangalore Rural and Bangalore Urban districts of Bangalore division will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Ambedkar Bhavan.

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