Wednesday, August 17 2005 10:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Amidst strong protests by the opposition Trinamool Congress and Congress, the final recommendations for delimitation of constituencies in West Bengal was likely to be sent to the Delimitation Commission by September 15, with the inclusion of appropriate suggestions and objections.

Member of the Delimitation Commission Ajoy Sinha said that it would consider the submissions and objections in three public sittings at Siliguri, Durgapur and Kolkata on September 5, 7 and 8 respectively before finalizing the recommendations.

After 1976 this was the first ever delimitation of constituencies, process of which began in 2001, Sinha, also the State Election Commissioner said.

Sinha said that the delimitation of the constituencies would be done on the basis of state's population in 2001, which stood at 8,01,76,197.

According to the proposals, the number of SC and ST assembly constituencies would stood at 68 and 16 respectively against existing 59 and 17.

Similarly, in parliamentary constituencies the numbers of SC and ST constituencies would be 10 and 2 respectively against 8 and 2 at present.

He said that the number of assembly constituencies in Kolkata would come down to 11 from the existing 21. The number of parliamentary seats would be reduced from three to two, according to the proposal.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress and Congress expressed strong objection to the proposed delimitation of assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the state alleging that 'it has been done at the instance of the ruling party'.