Gangtok, April 3: The Sikkim Limbu Tamang Joint Action Committee (LTJAC) has decided to oppose the process of delimitation of constituencies in Sikkim until the state government issues proper notifications on the Scheduled Tribe status conferred to the communities.

According to committee president P.R. Subba, although the Centre has granted the Limbu and Tamang communities tribal status under the ST Amendment Act 2002, their rights are yet to be defined by the state. Even though three months have gone by, since the gazette notification on the ST status for the two communities was issued, the state administration has not been able to bring out any such notification.

In a press release, the committee thanked the Centre for its efforts to safeguard the constitutional, political, social and economic rights of the communities through a gazette notification released in January.

The LTJAC claimed the state authorities had already received a letter from the Union ministry of tribal affairs, directing them to issue tribal certificates to the Limbus and Tamangs and grant them the benefits. The state government, however, had done nothing, the committee alleged.

Opposing the delimitation process, the LTJAC said the process would render their status “unconstitutional” and “illegal”.

Ever since the two communities were included in the ST list, there has been a growing demand for reservation of more seats in the state Assembly representing the Limbus and Tamangs.

At present, 12 seats are reserved for the Bhutias and Lepchas in the 32-member Assembly. If the delimitation process kicks off in the present set up, it is unlikely that seats will be reserved for the Limbu Tamang combine for sometime.

Last month, the state government had formed a committee under the chairmanship of former chief minister B.B. Gooroong to discuss the problems that had arisen after the two tribal communities were added to the Scheduled Tribe list.

The committee was also given the task of finding ways to reserve more seats for the two new tribal communities in the Assembly without upsetting the other groups.

The final draft proposal for the delimitation of constituencies is likely to be out soon. Public hearings are also being planned in Namchi and Gangtok at the end of this month for all four districts. The members of the Central delimitation commission and the state associate member committee will be present during the meetings.