Ministers from northern districts raise objections

CHENNAI: Ministers hailing from several northern districts of the State on Tuesday raised objections to the delimitation proposals for many Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.

Making his submission before members of the Delimitation Commission in Chennai, Public Works Minister Durai Murugan, who represents the Katpadi Assembly constituency, referred to the proposed bifurcation of his constituency and said it was not properly designed.

While earmarking the boundaries of the constituencies, panchayat unions and panchayats were sought to be divided. The Katpadi constituency, as planned now, would be covering three-four taluks.

Arguing for renaming the Chinnasalem constituency as Sankarapuram constituency, K. Venkapathy, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, said the nomenclature of Sankarapuram should be retained at any cost.

He pointed out that the Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Kallakurichi and Villupuram Lok Sabha constituencies were proposed to be made reserved constituencies.

M.R.K. Paneerselvam, Backward Classes Minister, said the Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency was a reserved constituency for long, Cuddalore too was now sought to be made one such constituency. E.V.Velu, Food Minister, emphasised the need to retain the Thandrampattu Assembly constituency.

C. Ve. Shanmugam, former Education Minister and the current Member of Legislative Assembly from Tindivanam (AIADMK), expressed his disapproval of the concentration of several reserved constituencies in the northern parts of the State.

T.K. Raja, Pattali Makkal Katchi's representative of the Tirupattur Assembly constituency, expressed his objection to the abolition of the Tirupattur Lok Sabha constituency. Abdul Basit, DMK's Vaniyambadi MLA, said that according to the present proposal, people in several tribal villages would have to travel about 85 km to meet their representative in Ambur. Gayatri Devi, Madurantakam MLA (Congress), wanted reconsideration of the move to make both the Madurantakam and Cheyyur constituencies reserved seats.

A participant said the Kallakurichi Lok Sabha constituency and four out of six Assembly constituencies coming under it would be reserved constituencies. At least, the Lok Sabha constituency should be a general seat. Another participant wanted Tirusoolam and Meenambakkam, on the southern outskirts of Chennai, made part of the Alandur constituency. Several members called for the retention of the Triplicane constituency.

Later, Kuldip Singh, chairman of the Delimitation Commission, told presspersons that the panel was expected to complete its work by September.

Only a few more States including Bihar and Assam had to be covered.