Assam: Congress refuses to meet ECI over delimitation

Opposition parties have questioned the need for conducting the delimitation exercise based on the 2001 census and not the 2011 census

Published on: Mar 28, 2023, 09:21:17 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Opposition Congress has refused to meet top Election Commission of India (ECI) officials visiting Assam for consultations with political parties over a delimitation process, saying it will not do so unless its concerns over the merger of districts ahead of the redrawing of electoral boundaries are addressed.

An ECI team arrived in Guwahati on Sunday. (HT PHOTO)

State Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah on Monday questioned the need for the merger ahead of the exercise and said it could benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) electorally.

“We are not opposed to the delimitation process. We met ECI officials in New Delhi on January 4 and sought clarification on some of our concerns. But despite assurances, we are yet to get any response from them. Till our concerns are addressed, we will not meet the ECI team,” said Borah.

Opposition parties have questioned the need for conducting the delimitation based on the 2001 census and not the 2011 census. “When we have data from the 2011 census, what is the need to conduct the exercise based on the 2001 census?” asked Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s state chief Ripun Bora.

The last delimitation exercise in Assam was undertaken in 1976 based on the 1971 census. There would be no increase in the number of seats after the fresh delimitation exercise. Assam has 126 assembly and 14 parliamentary seats.

The delimitation exercise in Assam was suspended in 2008 following suggestions by the then Congress government that it might create law and order problems.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has maintained the state government has no role in the exercise

Representatives of BJP, United People Party Liberal, Asom Gana Parishad, Communist Party of India (Marxist), All India United Democratic Front, Raijor Dal, and TMC met chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arup Goyal on Monday.

The ECI team arrived in Guwahati on Sunday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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