What is the new delimitation exercise by Assam?

• Assam remerged four districts with the ones they were carved out of four days after the ECI notified the initiation of the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the State.
• Many welcomed the ECI decision but questioned the use of the 2001 Census figures for the readjustment of the constituencies and an alleged bid to make Muslims less politically relevant.

Delimitation

• Meaning: process of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies based on a recent census to ensure each seat has an almost equal number of voters.
• Tenure: carried out every few years after a Census by an independent Delimitation Commission formed under Delimitation Commission Act.

Why was it put on hold in Assam?

• Delimitation panels were set up thrice: (1952, 1962 and 1972) regularly before the exercise was suspended in 1976.
• Last Commission deferred due to “security risks”: set up in 2002 but deferred before its exercise was completed in 2008.

Prelims Takeaway

• Delimitation
• Delimitation Commission