Election Commission of India start process of delimitation of Assam
- December 28, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
Election Commission of India start process of delimitation of Assam
Subject :Polity
Context:
- Recently, the Election Commission (EC) has mentioned that it has decided to start delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam.
More about the news;
- The Process will be based on Census data from 2001.
- The last Delimitation of constituencies in Assam was done in 1976 on the basis of the 1971 Census.
- The EC also issued a directive banning the creation of new administrative units in the state with effect from January 1 next year until completion of the delimitation exercise in the state.
What is Delimitation:
- Delimitation is the act of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies to represent changes in population and is done on the basis of the preceding Census.
- This exercise is carried out by a Delimitation Commission, whose orders have the force of law and cannot be questioned before any court.
- Constitutional provisions:
- Article 82: This provides the Parliament with the authority to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census.
- Article 170: This provides for the States to get divided into territorial constituencies as per the Delimitation Act after every Census.
- The Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission once the Act is in force.
What is Delimitation Commission:
- It is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
- Its members are a serving or retired Supreme Court judge, Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner nominated by CEC and Election Commissioners of the respective state.
- Its function is to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies, to identify seats reserved for SC/ST.
- It is ahigh power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.
- Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.