The BJP in Manipur will set up a 13-member committee to look into the issue of delimitation exercise in the state, party MLA Kh Ibomcha said on Thursday. The party said it has no objection to delimitation in the state as long as it is based on an authentic census.
"In a recent meeting of BJP MLAs, it was decided to form a 13-member delimitation committee to address the issue. The party is making all efforts to resolve the matter in the state," Mr Ibomcha said.
Of the 13 members, 12 will be MLAs and one will be from the office bearers of the party's state unit, a senior leader told PTI.
"The Manipur BJP has no objection to delimitation as long as it is based on an authentic census. However, the proposed delimitation which is to be conducted based on a census report (2001), which is full of irregularities, would be a false step," Mr Ibomcha said.
At a meeting held on Tuesday, BJP MLAs sought a "review" of the 2001 census and implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before carrying out the delimitation exercise in the state.
The demand for a review of the 2001 census came a few days after 13 other parties urged the Centre to defer the delimitation exercise in the state until the "errors" in the headcount that year are rectified.
The Supreme Court on March 17 granted three months to the Centre for carrying out the delimitation exercise in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court while consultations were underway for Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, the ongoing violence in Manipur made the situation not conducive for the exercise.
More than 250 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023.
The Centre imposed President's rule in the state on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister. The assembly, which has tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
