 "Election Commission")
The Election Commission on Tuesday said 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 is complete.
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 redrawing 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.
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"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 poll panel said in a statement.
The Commission will design and finalise 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 noted.
Once a draft proposal for delimitation of constituencies is finalised by the Commission, it will be published in the central and state gazettes for inviting suggestions and 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 poll panel said.
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.
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