Assam delimitation draft

Subject : Polity

Section : ELECTION

Concept :

The Election Commission recently released a draft delimitation document for Assam, suggesting modifications to the boundaries of several Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies. However, the proposal has sparked protests and controversies in the state.

Delimitation and its Purpose:

Delimitation means redrawing boundaries of parliamentary and assembly seats to reflect changes in population.
The objective is to ensure equal representation for population segments and prevent any political party from gaining an unfair advantage.
In Assam, delimitation was deferred in 2008 due to security concerns and was officially revived in 2020 based on the 2001 Census data.

Highlights of the Proposal:

While the number of seats remains the same (126 Assembly and 14 Lok Sabha), the draft suggests changes in geographical boundaries and an increase in reserved constituencies for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC).

Key highlights include:

Increased Reserved Seats: SC assembly seats increased from 8 to 9, and ST assembly seats increased from 16 to 19.
More Seats for Districts with Autonomous Councils: One assembly seat increased in West Karbi Anglong District, and three assembly seats increased in the Bodo Territorial Region.
Nomenclature Change: Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency renamed as ‘Kaziranga.’

Process and Controversies:

The constituencies were delimited based on the 2001 Census data, while considering the suggestions of political parties and organizations.
However, the draft has faced allegations of being partisan and divisive. Opponents, particularly the AIUDF representing Bengali-origin Muslims, argue that the proposal divides voters along religious lines and disadvantages their community politically.
They claim that Muslim-majority areas have been merged with Hindu-majority populations, reducing the number of constituencies where Muslim legislators can be elected.

For further notes on Delimitation, refer – https://optimizeias.com/delimitation-3/