ECI publishes draft delimitation proposal for Assam: 19 assembly seats reserved for STs; 9 for SCs and 98 for General

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the draft proposal for the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies for Assam. The proposal, which follows the guidelines and methodology prescribed by the relevant laws and the Constitution, aims to redraw the boundaries of constituencies in the state. The last delimitation exercise in Assam took place in 1976, and the current proposal is based on the 2001 Census data.

Under the proposed delimitation, the number of Assembly seats will remain at 126, while the number of Lok Sabha seats will remain at 14. Out of the 126 Assembly seats, 19 seats will be allocated for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 9 seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs). Similarly, out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats allocated to Assam, 2 seats will be reserved for STs and 1 seat for SCs.

The draft proposal also includes several salient features. It ensures that the lowest administrative units, such as villages and wards, remain intact throughout the state. The number of SC assembly seats has increased from 8 to 9, and the number of ST assembly seats has increased from 16 to 19. Notably, there will be an increase of one assembly seat in the Autonomous districts in the West Karbi Anglong District, and an increase of Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in Bodoland districts from 16 to 19. The Diphu and Kokrajhar Parliamentary seats will continue to be reserved for STs, while the Lakhimpur Parliamentary seat will remain unreserved.

The draft proposal takes into account various factors, including the physical features, population density, existing boundaries of administrative units, communication facilities, and public convenience, to ensure that the constituencies are geographically compact. The Commission also considered the population growth pattern in the state, with some districts experiencing higher population growth than others.

During the delimitation process, the Commission received representations from 11 political parties and 71 organizations. These representations raised several suggestions, including the delimitation based on the 2001 census, protection of the rights of indigenous people, consideration of demographic changes, and ensuring adequate representation for different social groups and geographical regions.

To gather further feedback, the Commission plans to visit Assam again in July 2023 for a public hearing on the draft proposal. Until July 11, 2023, individuals and organizations are invited to submit their suggestions and objections regarding the proposed delimitation.