Dimapur Ao Youth Organisation (DAYO) Tuesday sought to clarify its stand on the purported delimitation exercise Nagaland by providing “some historical facts and data” against “assumptions and hypothesis” that Ao leaders being at the helm of affairs might have influenced the census figures and delimitation exercise carried out in 1973 based on the census of 1971.
DAYO through its media cell pointed out Nagaland population Census 1971 was 5,16,449 and the rational conclusion to determine the criteria for allocation of 60 assembly seats to each tribal population within a district required a minimum of (5,16,449/60) 8607 population.
As per distribution of Assembly Seats for the First General Election in 1964 for 40 seats based on the 1961 Census, DAYO said Mokokchung was allocated 10 seats and similarly, during the delimitation exercise carried out based on 1971 Census, the number of seats remained the same, proportionate to its existing population and the norms observed for its distribution.
DAYO said that each district was “proportionately represented” based on the population size at that point in time and was “considered fair and just as there was no recorded complaints therein.” It said that the number of representatives allocated to each tribal population within each district validated the census figures. (Full text on p-6)