EC initiates delimitation of assembly, parliamentary constituencies in Assam

The Union Law Ministry requested that the Assam assembly and parliamentary seats be redrew in accordance with Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Delimitation is the process of establishing the borders or limitations of the territorial constituencies of a nation or state with a legislative body.

"The Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam to take up the matter with the state government to issue a complete ban on the creation of new administrative units with effect from January 1, 2023 till the completion of delimitation exercise in the state."

"As mandated under Article 170 of the Constitution, census figures (2001) shall be used for the purpose of readjustment of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in the state."

"Reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be provided as per Articles 330 and 332 of the Constitution of India," the poll panel said in a statement.

The Commission will design and finalise its own guidelines and methodology for the purpose of delimiting the constituencies.

According to the statement, the Commission will keep in mind the physical characteristics, current administrative unit boundaries, communication facilities, and public convenience when delineating the boundaries of the constituencies. The constituencies will be kept as geographically compact areas.

The public is invited to offer comments and voice concerns when the Commission publishes a finalised proposed rule for the delineation of constituencies in the federal and state gazettes.

"In this regard, a notice will also be published in two vernacular newspapers of the state specifying the date and venue for public sittings to be held in the state," the poll panel said.

On May 20, 2026, the present Assam Legislative Assembly's tenure will come to an end. The state has seven Rajya Sabha seats, 126 assembly seats, and 14 Lok Sabha seats.

On February 28, 2020, the central government revoked prior notifications that had put off delimitation in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh owing to security concerns. The government stated that the procedure could now proceed because the former conditions are no longer present.

A delimitation commission was established later in March 2020 under the leadership of former Supreme Court justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to redraft the Lok Sabha and assembly districts for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland.

However, a Law Ministry statement said that as of March 3, 2021, the delimitation panel will only be looking into the delimitation of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This was after the panel was granted a one-year extension.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 … the Central Government hereby makes the following amendments in the notification . dated the 06th March 2020, namely:- In the said notification, (i) in the opening paragraph, (a) the words, and the States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, shall be omitted," the notification read.

The four northeastern states were excluded from the delimitation process at the time for a number of reasons, including court disputes, according to sources.

Later, in a letter dated November 15, 2022, the Law Ministry asked EC to carry out the delineation of Assam's parliamentary and assembly constituencies.