EC proposes to retain number of Lok Sabha, assembly seats but suggests tweaks

The Election Commission on Tuesday released a draft delimitation proposal for Assam, suggesting to retain assembly seats at 126 and Lok Sabha constituencies at 14. Suggestions and objections have been invited till July 11. EC has proposed that a parliamentary seat be named Kaziranga. In the draft proposal, 19 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies have been reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and nine assembly seats and one parliamentary seat for Scheduled Castes.

The commission has suggested that the number of assembly seats in West Karbi Anglong district be increased by one and by three in Bodoland districts. EC has proposed that Diphu and Kokrajhar parliamentary seats be reserved for STs and Lakhimpur parliamentary seat can continue as unreserved. Two parliamentary seats have been suggested for the Barak Valley districts.

The commission will visit Assam again in July for a public hearing on the proposal. Representations were received from 11 political parties and 71 organisations when the commission last visited in March. The last delimitation exercise in Assam was carried out in 1976. All assembly and parliamentary constituencies will be delimited on the basis of 2001 Census as provided in Article 170 and 82 of the Constitution.