JOWAI: A day after Dorbar Shnong in East Jaintia Hills opposed the draft of the JHADC delimitation Bill, several Dorbar Shnong in West Jaintia Hills, too, have strongly raised their voice in protest against the proposed bill at a public hearing held on the premises of the District Auditorium, Jowai on Thursday.
The Dorbar Shnong from various parts of West Jaintia Hills district, were joined by members of the NGOs and political parties, particularly the UDP, in opposing the draft delimitation bill of the JHADC.
Speakers at the public hearing organized by the Delimitation Committee, which was constituted on the directive of the State Government, condemned the MB Rymbai-led Executive Committee which has proposed the draft delimitation bill, terming the same as intended to serve the vested interests of the Congress members of the JHADC.
Headmen from various villages including those from the urban areas expressed unhappiness over the EC’s decision to delimit all the District Council Constituencies in Jaintia Hills without taking into account the territorial demarcations and the ratio of voters.
District UDP general secretary, LD Lakiang, who was a former NGO leader, said, “The delimitation of constituencies should be territorial, compact and the variation of the total numbers of voters should not be in great difference.”
The public hearing was attended by prominent resident of West Jaintia Hills including former MLA Mihsalan Suchiang, Kolmen Pohshna, Baitlang Pohsngap, Dapoi Laloo, and others. Some of them were not allowed to speak at the public hearing as they had not lodged any complaint with the Delimitation Committee.
“We are not against the proposed delimitation of District Council Constituencies but we are against the way that the Constituencies are proposed to be delimited without any proper geographical demarcation,” the speakers stated.
While some of the speakers threatened to knock the door of the High Court, others have threatened to agitate in protest, and some more appealed to the JHADC EC and the Delimitation Committee to review the draft bill.