India
Election Commission: EC concludes public hearings on draft delimitation proposal for Assam | India News
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The Election Commission on Friday concluded its public hearings on the draft delimitation proposal for Assam, with the key demands received being the creation of one more parliamentary seat for Scheduled Tribes in Udalguri and Baksa districts; further increase in assembly seats in Dima Hasao, West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts; and change in the nomenclature of certain Lok Sabha and assembly seats.
The public hearings by the full commission comprising chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, are part of the consultative exercise that must precede the final delimitation award. The delimitation award cannot be challenged in any court of law.
Over the last three days, EC heard around 1,200 representations from across 31 districts of Assam, most of which came from Cachar (106), Kamrup (85) and Sonitpur (82). Meetings were held with over 20 political parties and more than 6,000 persons participated in the public hearings. The three commissioners conducted parallel hearings at different venues.
Among the key demands and suggestions received by EC was the demand for further increase in assembly seats in Dima Hasao, West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts on the grounds of their large, hilly geographical area and sparsely populated habitations. The people of Bodoland Territorial Area also sought the creation of one more ST parliamentary seat for Udalguri or Baksa districts, or at least a change in the name of Darrang PC to Udalguri PC.
Several representations were received from the Barak Valley seeking restoration of the number of assembly seats in the Valley to 15 instead of 13. Even though people largely welcomed the delimitation draft, including the addition of one SC assembly seat and 3 ST seats as well as use of Census 2001 population data as a base, many organisations requested for change on nomenclature of some parliamentary and assembly constituencies with regard to the historical, cultural, political, and ethnic significance of the region. For instance, the name of Darrang PC was sought to be changed to Darrang-Udalguri. As for assembly seats, name of Narsingpur AC was sought to changed to Dholai, Gobardhan AC to Manas, Batadraba AC to Dhing, Badarpur AC to Karimganj North, North Karimganj AC to Karimganj South, South Karimganj AC to Patharkandi, Ratabari AC to Ramkrishna Nagar, Moran AC to Khowang, Dima Hasao AC to Haflong, Hajo AC to Hajo- Sualkachi, Bhowanipur AC to Bhabanipur-Sorbhog, Chabua AC to Chabua- Lahowal and Algapur AC to Algapur-Katlichera.
A few organizations from the lower Assam, central Assam and Barak Valley districts also requested the shifting of a few villages/panchayats from one constituency to another. Many persons from Sibsagar district submitted representations for restoration of Amguri AC in their district.
A few representations questioned the timing of the exercise, while others sought its deferment. Several representations focused on specific village, block level concerns/requests based on geographical features, distances, remoteness, historicity etc. Some raised issues related to natural barriers like rivers, etc., leading EC to direct the respective district magistrates to submit factual details with proper maps so that a considerate view could be taken.
The United Opposition Forum Assam apprised the Commission that they had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the draft delimitation proposal and that the matter was listed for hearing on July 25, 2023.
The public hearings by the full commission comprising chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, are part of the consultative exercise that must precede the final delimitation award. The delimitation award cannot be challenged in any court of law.
Over the last three days, EC heard around 1,200 representations from across 31 districts of Assam, most of which came from Cachar (106), Kamrup (85) and Sonitpur (82). Meetings were held with over 20 political parties and more than 6,000 persons participated in the public hearings. The three commissioners conducted parallel hearings at different venues.
Among the key demands and suggestions received by EC was the demand for further increase in assembly seats in Dima Hasao, West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts on the grounds of their large, hilly geographical area and sparsely populated habitations. The people of Bodoland Territorial Area also sought the creation of one more ST parliamentary seat for Udalguri or Baksa districts, or at least a change in the name of Darrang PC to Udalguri PC.
Several representations were received from the Barak Valley seeking restoration of the number of assembly seats in the Valley to 15 instead of 13. Even though people largely welcomed the delimitation draft, including the addition of one SC assembly seat and 3 ST seats as well as use of Census 2001 population data as a base, many organisations requested for change on nomenclature of some parliamentary and assembly constituencies with regard to the historical, cultural, political, and ethnic significance of the region. For instance, the name of Darrang PC was sought to be changed to Darrang-Udalguri. As for assembly seats, name of Narsingpur AC was sought to changed to Dholai, Gobardhan AC to Manas, Batadraba AC to Dhing, Badarpur AC to Karimganj North, North Karimganj AC to Karimganj South, South Karimganj AC to Patharkandi, Ratabari AC to Ramkrishna Nagar, Moran AC to Khowang, Dima Hasao AC to Haflong, Hajo AC to Hajo- Sualkachi, Bhowanipur AC to Bhabanipur-Sorbhog, Chabua AC to Chabua- Lahowal and Algapur AC to Algapur-Katlichera.
A few organizations from the lower Assam, central Assam and Barak Valley districts also requested the shifting of a few villages/panchayats from one constituency to another. Many persons from Sibsagar district submitted representations for restoration of Amguri AC in their district.
A few representations questioned the timing of the exercise, while others sought its deferment. Several representations focused on specific village, block level concerns/requests based on geographical features, distances, remoteness, historicity etc. Some raised issues related to natural barriers like rivers, etc., leading EC to direct the respective district magistrates to submit factual details with proper maps so that a considerate view could be taken.
The United Opposition Forum Assam apprised the Commission that they had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the draft delimitation proposal and that the matter was listed for hearing on July 25, 2023.
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