THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With only days remaining for the deadline for filing the grievances to the ward delimitation commission to end, the UDF on Monday intensified protest.
UDF parliamentary party leader P Padmakumar on Tuesday launched a hunger strike protesting the alleged manipulation in the ward delimitation process which resulted in the elimination of eight wards including three sitting wards of the UDF.
Inaugurating the hunger strike, DCC president Palode Ravi criticised the Ward Delimitation Commission alleging unscientific ward restructuring for creating a single additional ward. He alleged that the delimitation process done based on the CPM’s recommendations is unacceptable.
Parliamentary party leader P Padmakumar, who staged the hunger strike, said that the Congress would move court if the grievances raised by the public are not addressed by the delimitation commission.
“The Commission will be hearing the petitions and grievances after Wednesday. Plenty of complaints and petitions have been filed before the commission from each ward and if we don’t get justice we will move court,” said Padmakumar. The hunger strike began in the morning on Monday and ended at 5 pm.
The coastal communities and church groups in the coastal belt of the City Corporation have also come out in stiff protest objecting to the recent draft ward delimitation.
After delimitation, the number of coastal wards has reduced from 17 to 14 sparking widespread concern among the coastal community of dwindling representation for fishermen and coastal residents in the corporation council.
The last date for submission of grievances and complaints against the ward delimitation will end on Wednesday. The Ward Delimitation Commission will be hearing the grievances and conducting enquiries till December 15.