Shillong, July 03: Meghalaya Speaker Martin M Danggo has convened an all party meeting today to thrash out the issues arising out of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in the state. Initially, Chief Minister D D Lapang agreed to call the meeting on July 7 but later he and Home Minister R G Lyngdoh urged the Speaker to do so in deference to the wishes of all MLAs to discuss the delimitation issue. The outcome of the meeting is expected to be helpful for the July 11 sitting of the Central Delimitation Commission in Delhi to be attended by the seven associated members of the state, official sources said. Earlier Lapang, replying to a cut motion jointly moved by opposition MLAs Ardhendu Chaudhuri and Edmond K Sangma on delimitation of constituencies, said in the state assembly that since the central government decided to take into consideration the 2001 census figures instead of 1991 one, the process was kept 'in abeyance'.

He urged the associated members to present an 'unanimous view' on the delimitation of constituencies in the Delhi meeting.


Lapang also said the state government planned to evolve a mechanism to enable all voters to get their photo identity cards.
Opposition member M Rava wanted people's representatives should be consulted when delimiting the constituencies.

Bureau Report