Mon, August 10, 2026
Former Jharkhand minister Bandhu Tirkey on Monday urged the tribal community to remain united and vigilant ahead of the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, saying any reduction in seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the state would not be acceptable.
Addressing a press conference at the local Parishadan in Gumla, Tirkey said the delimitation exercise should not be viewed merely as a process of redrawing electoral boundaries. According to him, it has wider implications for the political representation, constitutional safeguards and democratic participation of Jharkhand’s tribal population.
He announced that an ‘Adivasi Ekta Mahajutan Rally’ will be held at Morhabadi Maidan in Ranchi on August 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gathering is aimed at mobilising the tribal community to protect its political representation and constitutional rights.
“Our message is clear — now or never. We must unite and protect our rights,” Tirkey said.
Recalling the earlier delimitation exercise of 2002-08, Tirkey said there had been a proposal to reduce the number of Assembly constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand from 28 to 22. He said the proposal was eventually not implemented following opposition from tribal communities, elected representatives and social organisations, keeping in view Jharkhand’s distinct social and demographic circumstances.
With another delimitation exercise now being proposed, Tirkey said the tribal community must organise itself well in advance to ensure that its concerns are adequately represented.
### ‘Tribal communities have already paid a heavy price for development’
Tirkey argued that tribal communities have made a major contribution to the country’s development, often at the cost of displacement from their traditional lands.
He pointed to mining projects, steel plants, dams, railways, national highways and power projects, saying these initiatives have displaced large numbers of tribal people from their jal, jungle and zameen. Many others, he added, have been forced to migrate in search of employment.
“A community that has sacrificed so much for nation-building cannot be deprived of political representation,” Tirkey said, arguing that tribal communities deserve constitutional recognition and stronger political representation rather than what he described as a political penalty for their demographic changes.
He also linked the delimitation debate to population-control policies, saying tribal communities have followed family-planning measures and that reducing their political representation solely on the basis of present population figures would therefore be unjust.
Tirkey said the special circumstances of Jharkhand’s Fifth Schedule areas should also be taken into account during delimitation. He cited the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, constitutional and legal safeguards for tribal communities, historical displacement, migration, tribal-dominated areas and changing demographic patterns as factors that need careful consideration.
He made it clear that any reduction in the number of Assembly or Lok Sabha constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand would be opposed.
### Tirkey backs students’ demands, questions CBI route
Tirkey also commented on the ongoing students’ agitation in Jharkhand, saying the students’ concerns were legitimate and deserved serious consideration. However, he alleged that the BJP was attempting to use the movement for political gain.
On demands for a CBI probe into the recruitment controversy, Tirkey said the Central Bureau of Investigation had investigated several cases in the past and questioned the status of those investigations, particularly in cases where closure reports had not been filed.
On the JSSC-CGL recruitment issue, he said appointment letters had been issued in accordance with orders of the High Court and Supreme Court. At the same time, he said the state government was considering the possibility of a judicial inquiry into the matter.
Tirkey described the upcoming delimitation exercise as an issue with potentially far-reaching consequences for Jharkhand’s tribal population. He warned that failing to raise the issue now could affect the political representation of future generations.
He appealed to members of the tribal community to attend the August 30 gathering at Morhabadi Maidan in large numbers and make the Mahajutan a success.
“Unity is our strength, the Constitution is our shield, and political representation is our right,” Tirkey said.
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