Chandigarh, November 16
The National Delimitation Commission headed by Justice Kuldeep Singh
(retd) has made significant changes while reorganising, reserving and
dereserving the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in Punjab. The
rough draft of the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies was released
to the political parties and others concerned today.
Informed sources said the final draft of the constituencies would
be released after public hearings by the commission. The first hearing
will be held in Bathinda on December 2 and second at Patiala on
December 3 and the third in Jalandhar on December 4. After hearing
objections, if any from public, the final draft is expected to be
released by the end of December. The Assembly elections in Punjab are
due to be held 14 months later.
After the release of the final draft, the number of reserved Vidhan
Sabha constituencies will go up to 34 from the existing 29 in the
state. However, the number of the total Assembly segments, that is
117, will remain unchanged. Likewise, the number of Lok Sabha reserved
constituencies will go up to four from three but the total number of
these constituencies will remain 13.
In the rough draft ,as many as three towns associated with Sikh
Gurus have been named as Lok Sabha constituencies. These are Anandpur
Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Khadoor Sahib.
Faridkot, Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Hoshiarpur have been
proposed as reserved Lok Sabha constituencies in the draft. And
Sangrur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, and Khadoor
Sahib, Anandpur Sahib and Ferozepore will be general Lok Sabha
constituencies. Tarn Taran and Ropar have ceased to be Lok Sabha
constituencies. These have been replaced by Khadoor Sahib, and
Fatehgarh Sahib, respectively.
The Lambi Assembly segment has been included in the Bathinda Lok
Sabha constituencies by delinking it from the Faridkot constituency.
Obviously, it will benefit the Badal family. It is almost clear that
in future, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is said to dreaming be Prime
Minister of the country, will contest the Lok Sabha election from
Bathinda which has been dereserved.
And the Lambi Assembly segments has also not been reserved. It is
the home constituency of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Originally, this
segments was proposed to be reserved because it had a highest per cent
age of Scheduled Caste population in that area. The Muktsar Assembly
segment has been included in the Ferozepore Lok Sabha constituency, it
is learnt.
Changes has also been made in the home district of the Chief
Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. Nabha and Shatrana will be reserved
Assembly segment in the Patiala Lok Sabha constituency. In the
Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, Banga and Chamkaur Sahib will
be reserved Assembly segments and Kharar, Mohali, Nawanshahr,
Balachaur, Anandpur Sahib, Garhshankar, Ropar will be general
segments. Mohali is a new Assembly segments while Morinda has ceased
to exist.
In the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, Phagwara, Sham Churasi,
Hargobindpur, and Chabbewal will be reserved Assembly segments and
Mukeria, Dasuya, Urmur (Tanda), Batala, and Hoshiarpur will be
non-reserved segments. In the Ferozepore Lok Sabha constituency,
Malout and Baluana will be reserved Assembly segments and Fazilka,
Abohar, Muktsar, Jalalabad, Gur Har Sahai and Ferozepore (city) will
be general segments.
The Faridkot Lok Sabha seat will have Jaito and Nihalsinghwala as
reserved Assembly segments and Moga, Dharmgarh, Gidderbaha, Rampura,
Faridkot, Kotkapura, Baghapurana as general Assembly segments. In the
Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, Baba Bakala, Khem Karan and
Patti will be reserved Assembly segments and Tarn Taran, Khadoor
Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, Bhulath and Zira will be general segments.
The Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha constituency will have Payal, Raikot,
Bassi Pathana as reserved Assembly segments and Samrala, Sahnewal,
Khanna, Amloh, Amargarh as general segments. In the Amritsar Lok Sabha
constituency, Rajasansi, Janidala, Amritsar (North), Amritsar (East),
Amritsar (South), Amritsar (West), Majitha will be general Assembly
segments and Attari will be reserved segment. The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha
constituency will have Dina Nangar and Bhoma as reserved Assembly
segments and Sujanpur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Kadian, Fatehgarh
Churian, Dera Baba Nanak, Ajanla will be general segments.
In the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, Jagraon and Gill will be
reserved segments while all the four Assembly segments of Ludhiana
city and Samrala, Sahnewal, Khanna, Amloh and Amargarh will be general
segments. Earlier, Khanna was reserved Assembly segment from where
last time Ms Harbans Kaur Dullo, wife of the Punjab Congress
President, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, had won.
In the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency, all Assembly segments in
Jalandhar city will be general Assembly segments and Kartarpur,
Adampur, Nakodar and Phillaur will be reserved Assembly segments. The
Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency will have Budhlada, Bathinda (rural)
and Bhucho as reserved Assembly segments and Rampuraphul, Mansa, Maur,
Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda (urban) and Sardulgarh will be general
segments.
In the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, Bhadur, Mahilkalan, Dirba will be
reserved Assembly segments and Sunam, Malerkotla, Amargarh, Dhuri and
Lehra will be general segments. Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was elected
last time from Lehra.
