Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma responded to Congress criticism regarding the state’s recent delimitation exercise, dismissing claims of “gerrymandering” as misleading. Sarma emphasized that the 2023 delimitation was a necessary step to rectify long-standing electoral disparities. He criticized past governments, particularly the Congress, for neglecting demographic changes to manipulate elections for political gain. The delimitation process aimed to realign constituencies with current demographics and ground realities, addressing historical imbalances.
The Election Commission of India conducted the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam based on the 2001 Census. Completed in August 2023, the exercise involved redrawing boundaries of 126 Assembly and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies to ensure fair representation. The focus was on rationalizing population distribution, geographical contiguity, and administrative convenience. Additionally, adjustments were made to reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to better reflect their population shares.
CM Sarma stressed that the delimitation aimed to restore equilibrium and provide equitable political representation to indigenous communities. He described the current arrangement as a temporary solution to address concerns related to illegal migration and demographic shifts. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticized the exercise, alleging bias and favoritism towards the ruling party. The BJP, however, refuted claims of gerrymandering, asserting that the delimitation reflects the will of the Assamese people.
