Election Commission to begin delimitation exercise in Assam

The delimitation was being carried out following a request from the Ministry of Law and Justice in November

A view of the logo of the Election Commission of India at the Nirvachan Sadan (ECI Headquarters) in New Delhi. File. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Election Commission on Tuesday said that it would begin the delimitation exercise of Assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam.

The census figures of 2001 would be used for the delimitation process.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel have directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam to take up the matter with State government to issue a complete ban on creation of new administrative units from January 1, 2023, the ECI said in a statement.

The term of the current Assam Legislative Assembly will end on May 20, 2026. The State has 14 Lok Sabha, 126 Assembly and seven Rajya Sabha seats.

The commission further said that the delimitation was being carried out following a request from the Ministry of Law and Justice in November. The process would be carried out in accordance with Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

“As mandated under Article 170 of the Constitution, census figures of 2001 shall be used for the purpose of readjustment of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the State. Reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be provided as per Articles 330 and 332 of the Constitution of India,” it said.

The entire guidelines and methodology for the purpose of the delimitation process would be designed and finalised by the Election Commission itself.

During the exercise, the commission will keep in mind the physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facility of communication, public convenience and as far as practicable, the constituencies will be kept as geographically compact area.

Once a draft proposal of delimitation of constituencies in Assam is finalised by the commission, it shall be published in the Central and State gazettes for inviting suggestions or objections from the general public.

“In this regard, a notice will also be published in two vernacular newspapers of the State specifying the date and venue for public sittings to be held in the State,” the EC statement said.

The last delimitation of constituencies in the Assam was done on the basis of census figures of 1971 by the then Delimitation Commission in 1976.