Jharkhand Govt Raises Concern Over 'Reduction' in ST Seats Due To Delimitation; BJP Bats For NRC

The treasury bench in Jharkhand Assembly expressed its reservation on Tuesday over the upcoming delimitation of parliamentary and assembly seats in 2026, underlying that fixing of the number of constituencies in proportion to the population could lead to a reduction of seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the state.

- Vishal Kant

RANCHI:

Opposition BJP on the other hand sought implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state, hinting at the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh as the reason behind the decreasing tribal population.

A debate on delimitation ignited in the Assembly when the state's ST, SC and Social Security department minister Chamra Linda underlined that the reduction of ST seats was prevented in 2008 due to opposition by JMM chief Shibu Soren after which the then government at the Centre kept Jharkhand out of the delimitation exercise.

"I am a bit worried about the 2026 delimitation. I have gone through the delimitation Act. Nowhere it has been mentioned that the reduction in population of tribals would lead to a reduction of ST seats. In 2008 delimitation, ST seats were being reduced by six in the Assembly. We were able to prevent it as Guruji Shibu Soren took it up with the Centre. Then the Congress president Sonia Gandhi supported us. Even Advani ji supported and then Jharkhand was kept out of it," said Linda, while giving the government's reply on the discussion over budgetary grants of the ST, SC, Social Security department.

Expressing his apprehension, Linda suggested a committee be formed including the Opposition that could take up the issue with the Centre.

Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi said he had been raising the issue of reduction in tribal population, especially in Santhal Parganas division and implementation of NRC as the need of the hour.