The Centre on February 28th, 2020 cancelled its earlier notifications which deferred delimitation in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh due to security issues and said delimitation of constituencies will be carried out now.
In an order, the Ministry of Law and Justice said, “Whereas under the provisions of Article 82 and Clause (3) of Article 170 of the Constitution, as amended by the Constitution (Eight-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001, Parliament has enacted the Delimitation Act, 2002 and a Delimitation Commission was set up to readjust the division of each State and Union territory into territorial constituencies for the purpose of elections to the House of the People and to the State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of census figures as ascertained at the census taken in the year 2001.”\
It said now the President, satisfied that the circumstances that led to the deferring of the delimitation exercise in Assam have ceased to exist, “is pleased to rescind the notification… dated the February 8 2008…”
The order pointed out that a Delimitation Commission was set up under the Delimitation Act, 2002 to readjust the division of each state and union territory into territorial constituencies for the purpose of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections on the basis of census figures of 2001.
The Commission completed the delimitation exercise and the Delimitation Order, 2008 in respect of all the states, except in these four northeastern states, it said.
Referring to each of these four states individually, the order said the President on being satisfied that a situation had arisen where the unity and integrity of India was likely to be threatened and there was serious threat to the peace and public order, deferred the delimitation exercise.
“There is a significant improvement in the security situation in Assam. There is also reduction in insurgency incidents and improvement in law and order of these States making the situation conducive for carrying out the delimitation exercise which was deferred in the State in 2008,” the order stated.
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