Delimitation exercise in Assam to get legal status in monsoon session of Parliament

Sept. 12: Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently stated that there arises no possibility of delimitation of constituencies in the state before 2021 assembly elections, as it requires constitutional amendment. Meanwhile, the government has listed a bill for discussion in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament to amend an electoral law to give legal backing to the recently-formed Delimitation Commission to redraw the constituencies of four northeastern states.

According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the proposed “Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2020” seeks to amend section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The Delimitation Commission was formed by the Law Ministry to redraw the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Delimitation Commission was set up under the Delimitation Act, 2002 to readjust the division of each state and Union Territory into territorial constituencies for the purpose of Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections on the basis of the census figures of 2001.

Parliament’s Monsoon Session will begin from 14 September and continue till 1 October. Hectic preparations are underway for the Session with several first-time measures because of the COVID-19 pandemic such as testing of all MPs, staggered sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and use of both chambers and galleries to accommodate members while following physical distancing norms.

Also Read: Delimitation requires constitutional amendment, not possible before 2021 Assembly polls: HBS