The Election Commission of India (ECI) on December 27 said it has initiated the process for delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam.
The process of delimitation was in pursuance of the request received from the Union ministry of law and justice. Delimitation falls under Section 8A of the Re Representation of the People Act, 1950.
“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 state government to issue complete ban on creation of new administrative units w.e.f. 1st January 2023 till the completion of delimitation exercise in the state,” an official statement said.
Census figures of 2001 will be used for the purpose of readjustment of constituencies in the state.
“The Election 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, public convenience and as far as practicable, the constituencies will be kept as geographically compact area,” the statement added.
Once a draft proposal of the delimitation of constituencies in the state of Assam is finalized by the commission, it will be published in the central and state gazettes for inviting suggestions/objections from the public.
Under the provisions of the Delimitation Act of 1972, 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.
