Last updated on July 24th, 2023 at 04:18 pm
As per Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and in pursuance to the request received from the Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India, the Election Commission of India has marked to initiate the delimitation exercise of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the State of Assam.
The Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Shri Anup Chandra Pandey and Shri Arun Goel, has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam to take up the matter with State Government to issue a complete ban on the creation of a new administrative units w.e.f. 01.04.2019.
The delimitation exercise in the State will be completed by 1st January 2023. Article 170 of the Constitution mandates that census figures from 2001 shall be used for the purpose of readjustment of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in the State.
As per Articles 330 & 332 of the Constitution of India, reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be provided.
The Commission will design and finalize its own guidelines & methodology for the purpose of constituencies delimitation. During the delimitation exercise, the Commission will take into account physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facility of communication, and public convenience, and to the extent possible, constituencies will be kept as geographically compact areas.
The Commission shall finalize a draft proposal of the delimitation of constituencies in the State of Assam and shall publish it in the Central and State Gazettes for inviting suggestions/objections from the general public. A notice will be published in two vernacular newspapers specifying the date and venue for public sittings to be held in the state.
The Ministry of Law & Justice has requested the Election Commission of India to conduct the delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in the State of Assam vide letter No.H-11019/06/2022-Leg.II dated 15th November 2022.
The last delimitation of constituencies in the State of Assam was done on the basis of census figures, in 1971 by the then Delimitation Commission in 1976 under the provisions of the Delimitation Act, of 1972.
