Delimitation exercise rushed and ill-planned, says HSPDP

SHILLONG, July 29: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) on Monday raised questions about the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Executive Committee’s (EC) decision to undertake a delimitation exercise of the 29 existing constituencies, while terming it rushed and ill-planned.
HSPDP chief KP Pangniang criticised the move, stating, “What was the need to have a delimitation exercise of the existing constituencies? Not only this, there was no proper thought on how to carry out the delimitation exercise since it was done in a rush.”
Pangniang argued that if the EC were serious about the delimitation, it should have been planned from the beginning of the term. He noted, “What we have witnessed is that the EC decided to recommend to the Governor for the constitution of the Delimitation Committee just months before the term of the present house would have expired.”
Comparing the current exercise with the one conducted in 2013, Pangniang recalled that the previous delimitation was well-planned and executed, resulting in no significant opposition. He mentioned that the 2013 delimitation saw the Laitkroh constituency being replaced by the Umsning constituency.
“But now we have heard that many are not happy with the recommendations of the current delimitation. The MDCs from West Khasi Hills want the district council constituencies to be aligned with the Assembly constituencies,” Pangniang said.
He predicted further resistance, noting that Mawlai MDC Teibor Pathaw and the Dorbar Shnong of Mawlai Mawroh are against the recommendation to attach Mawlai Mawroh to Jaiaw constituency.
Pangniang added that the Select Committee on delimitation now faces a formidable task in appeasing all parties, given the widespread dissatisfaction with the delimitation committee’s report.