No provision to increase Parliamentary/Assembly constituencies in Assam: Centre in Parliament

Lok Sabha MP asked for the details and reasons for the decision taken by the Assam Government to merge four districts just before the delimitation order.

In response to a written question asked by Pradyut Bordoloi, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Centre on Friday said that there is no provision to increase the number of existing Assembly or Parliamentary constituencies in the State of Assam. Lok Sabha MP asked for the details and reasons for the decision taken by the Assam Government to merge four districts just before the delimitation order.

Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the delimitation exercise in the State shall be done as per the procedure laid down in section 8A of the Representation of People Act, 1950, sections 9 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and constitutional provisions applicable in this regard. "The Government of Assam has informed the following reasons for merging of the four districts with its original districts following inadequate district machinery, difficulty in implementing government schemes, disagreement on district boundaries and difficulty in the transfer of Government records etc", reads an official statement.

The Election Commission of India has been entrusted to undertake the delimitation exercise in the State of Assam under the provisions of section 8A of the Representation of People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950) and section 9 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002). The provisions of articles 82 and 170 (3) of the Constitution of India and the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002) provide for the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2001 census, The Law Minister has said. (ANI)

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