Assam: Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi calls ECI’s methodology of creating districts based on population density unconstitutional

Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi called the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) methodology of creating 3 categories of districts of Assam based on population density unconstitutional. 

Gogoi further claimed in a press note that the methodology adopted by ECI betrays the mandate of Articles 81 (2) and 170 (2) of the Constitution of India.

“While the constitution requires that each constituency is readjusted in a manner that every constituency is of an almost equal size, the papers released by ECI speak for themselves when they reflect the deviation from the state average”, claimed the Raijor Dal cheif in the press note.

The press release further mentioned, “As per Paper-6 of ECI, amongst others, Gauripur LAC is deviating +21.55%; Bilasipara LAC – 20.48%; Bajali LAC – 25.64%; Raha LAC 22.41%. On the other hand, in Parliamentary Constituencies deviations are indicated to go as high as 45% (Dhubri) and as low as -47% (Diphu)”.

Slamming the ECI’s delimitation order of allegedly violating the mandate given by the Articles 81 (2), Raijor Dal further stated in its press release, “The allocation of seats in the Council of States to be filled by representatives of the States shall be in accordance with the provisions in that behalf contained in the Fourth Schedule) & 170 (2) (which mentions that for the purposes of clause (1), each state shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it shall, so far as practicable, be the same throughout the state of the Constitution of India which advocates the need for equitable distribution of population in the constituencies”.

Meanwhile, Raijor Dal alleged that Assam’s 11 Opposition political parties have already approached the Supreme Court seeking redress from this order given by ECI.

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