GUWAHATI: The delimitation exercise initiated by the election commission of India (ECI) for Assam will ‘safeguard’ the future of the state.
This was stated by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday while interacting with senior journalists from the state on the first day of the year.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the delimitation exercise of the ECI in the state a ‘breakthrough’.
Notably, the ECI, on December 27 last year, had announced the process of delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam.
The delimitation exercise in Assam will be carried out by the ECI on the basis of the 2001 Census data.
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At present the Northeast state of Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats and 126 assembly constituencies.
The ECI also banned creation of new administrative units in Assam, with effect from January 1, till the time the delimitation exercise in completed.
Saying that the NRC and Assam Accord weren’t fruitful, the Assam chief minister said: “Delimitation might prove to be the process, which will protect the future the state.”
Notably, the Assam cabinet, on December 31 last year, decided to remerge four newly created districts with the original districts of the state.
The four newly created districts–Biswanath, Hojai, Bajali and Tamulpur-have been merged will the original districts from where they were bifurcated.
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While Biswanath district was bifurcated from Sonitpur district, Hojai was with Nagaon district previously.
Bajali and Tamulpur were carved out from Barpeta and Baksa districts respectively.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday in view of the EC ban on reshuffling administrative units in the state from January 1 ahead of the commencement of the delimitation exercise in the state.
CM Sarma said that the decisions was taken because of administrative ascendancy and in the interest of Assam.
“This won’t be permanent. For specific administrative purposes and in the interest of Assam and our society, the decision to remerge the four districts has been taken,” Sarma had said.