Constituency delimitation process starts in Assam

 2001 Census figures will be the basis for the exercise

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the Assembly and Parliamentary constituency delimitation process in Assam with the Census figures of 2001, at long last. The Commission has banned the creation of new administrative units in the state from January 1, 2023, till the completion of the delimitation exercise.

The constituency delimitation was long overdue in Assam. When the Election Commission of India was ready to start the process, an all-party delegation from Assam met the then Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in 2007 and told him that the delimitation process would create law-and-order problems in the state. The then State Government also expressed the same view before the Central Government. And since then, the issue of delimitation of constituency in Assam regained hung.

It was after present Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the Election Commission recently that the delimitation exercise would not have any impact on the law-and-order situation in the state the Commission initiated the process. The Chief Minister did appeal to the Election Commission to start the constituency delimitation exercise in the state.

As mandated under Article 170 of the Constitution, the Election Commission will use the 2001 census figures to delimit Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in the state.

The Commission said that it would follow the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as per Articles 330 and 332 of the Constitution of India.

The Commission will design and finalize its own guidelines and methodology for the purpose of delimiting the constituencies.

During the delimitation exercise, the Commission will keep in mind the physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facility of communication, and public convenience. It said that it would keep the constituencies geographically compact as far as practicable.

It will publish the draft proposal for the delimitation of constituencies in Assam in the Central and State Gazettes for suggestions/objections from the general public. In this regard, the Commission will publish a notice in two vernacular newspapers of the state specifying the date and venue for public sittings.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Dilip Saikia assured party workers that the delimitation exercise would not increase the number of constituencies in the state. He, however, said that the delimitation process would realign the peripheries of the existing constituencies.

The number of Assembly constituencies in the state has been changing since 1952 following changes in its geographical boundaries. The state had 108 constituencies in 1952. It reduced to 105 in 1957, rose to 114 in 1967 and to 126 in 1972.

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