Editorial
Redrawing of electoral boundaries
Political parties must appreciate demographic realities
THE move by the Election Commission to redraw the boundaries of 133 electoral constituencies on a district-wise basis has drawn flak from the political parties. Indeed, some politicians smell something of the negative and even the conspiratorial in such a move. While the reaction from the parties was only to be expected, we nevertheless feel that the EC has done nothing beyond its remit. In fact, the constitution obliges the EC to go for a delimitation and readjustment of constituencies. More pertinently, it is the demographic realities (the last census was conducted in 2001) that necessitate a redrawing of constituencies. At this newspaper, we believe that constituencies must be so arranged as to provide for an equitable distribution of population and electoral representation within them. There is surely concern when two constituencies, of 100,000 people and 5,00,000 people respectively, are each represented in Parliament by a lawmaker. The discrepancy in the numbers becomes glaring. Moreover, there is the important question of expenditure ceiling applicable for election campaigns. How could the same limit hold good for constituencies of widely different sizes?
Perhaps the political parties have a point when they say the EC's plans will lead to complexities. They fear that such plans may only delay the holding of the elections on time. It is to be noted that the parties are not per se against such delimitation. That again raises the question of why, if they are not really opposed to such delimitation, they did not undertake the task themselves when they were in office. Unfortunately, in the pre-January 2007 situation, a party-influenced or party-dominated Election Commission ignored the need for delimitation. Be that as it may, the present EC has made it clear that complaints regarding its plans about the 133 constituencies will be heard and disposed of by June 30. That means a full two-month period is there for the matter to be handled, assuming that problems arise. If the EC can convincingly and expeditiously address those problems, there should be little need for worry on the part of the parties. Besides, parties cannot take recourse to legal measures as there are clear provisions disallowing any such move being taken.
The matter of a redrawing of the constituencies should not cast a shadow over the larger national interests. And it will not if the parties adopt a solution-oriented rather than an obstructive attitude to it. They would do well to understand that it is in their own future interests. With the next polls (after 2008) scheduled for 2013, it makes sense for the constituencies to be redefined now. Why must a task of such significance be kept in abeyance for five years more? There is the bigger picture which must not be missed. And it is that demographic discrepancies and inconsistencies do not go well with the collective national goal of a fair, free and credible general election. Which is why we understand the logic in the EC's position.
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