Assam constituencies map to alter

The long-pending constituency realignment of Assam and few other North-Eastern states have begun as the Union Law Ministry issued the notification.

With this in Assam at least 1-15 constituencies will be realigned and renamed keeping the overall 126 number the same. Basing the 2011 census, the new alignment will be done and it is expected that lower Assam will see a reduction of constituency while upper Assam could see the addition of constituency.

The constituency delimitation is pending since 2008 which has been earlier suspended for law and order situation.  The BJP is expected to grab this opportunity and reduce the number of Muslim dominated constituency.

In the previous delimitation exercise held in the eighties, the Congress with its huge strength in the Assembly drew the constituency map in such a flawed manner that immigrant Muslim community do have at least 30% influence in no less than 35 seats giving a serious advantage to the Congress party.

It has been major heartburn for rest of Assam and hopefully, this exercise will correct this historical fraud.

A Central notification issued by the Ministry of Law andJustice said that whereas the Delimitation Commission completed thedelimitation exercise and the Delimitation Order, 2008 in respect of allStates, except Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.

The President in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section(1) of section 10A of the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002), and on beingsatisfied that a situation had arisen where the unity and integrity of Indiawas likely to be threatened and there was serious threat to the peace andpublic order, deferred the delimitation exercise in Assam on February 8, 2008.

As there is a significant improvement in the security situation in the State of Assam. There is also a reduction in insurgency incidents and improvement in law and order of these States making the situation conducive for carrying out the delimitation exercise which was deferred in 2008.

Therefore, it appears that the circumstances that led to thedeferring of the delimitation exercise in Assam have ceased to exist and thatthe delimitation of the constituencies as envisaged under the Delimitation Act,2002 could be carried out now.

Now, the President, being satisfied that the circumstancesthat led to the deferring of the delimitation exercise in Assam have ceased toexist, is pleased to rescind the notification of February 8, 2008.

In the case of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland also the delimitation exercise was ordered on the same ground.