EC begins delimitation of constituencies in Assam

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday said that it has initiated delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam, and will be using the 2001 census figures for the readjustment of seats.

The commission said a ban has been put in place effective January 1, 2023, on creation of new administrative units in the state till the exercise gets completed.

Under the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 1972, the last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was effected on the basis of 1971 census figures by the then Delimitation Commission in 1976, the poll panel noted.

The move to redraw the Assembly and parliamentary seats of Assam as per Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 has been initiated following a request from the Union law ministry.

Delimitation is the process of fixing limits or boundaries of the territorial constituencies in a country or a state with a legislative body.

“The commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam to take up the matter with the state government to issue complete ban on creation of new administrative units with effect from January 1, 2023 till the completion of delimitation exercise in the state,” the Election Commission  said in a statement.

“As mandated under Article 170 of the Constitution, census figures (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,” the statement reads further.