Assam govt asks all DCs to prepare map for delimitation

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has asked deputy commissioners of all districts of the state to prepare the statistical data and map showing all latest administrative units and developmental units by August 9 for onward submission to the delimitation commission.
The instruction sent on August 6 by the state election department says that statistical data of 19 districts, except Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dhubri,South Salmara, Biswanath, Goalpara, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Hojai, Jclrhat, Majuli, Sibasagar, Charaideo and Kokrajhar, have already submitted the statistical data to the election department.
“On the other hand, all districts have to submit good quality maps showing all latest administrative units, developmental units, for onward submission to delimitation commission,” the order stated. “For the sake of accuracy, unambiguity in identifying unit/localities, the data and maps to be supplied to the Commission shall be in English language only. Names should be clearly legible and spellings are to be correct,” the order adds.
On March 6, the law ministry notified the delimitation commission for the four northeast states — Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh — and J&K, which were left out in 2002-08. Former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai is its chairperson and election commissioner Sushil Chandra is the EC’s representative on the panel.
Delimitation is the act of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and assembly seats to represent changes in population. In this process, the number of seats allocated to a state may also change. The Centre on February 28 had cancelled its earlier notifications which deferred delimitation in these states.