President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday cancelled an earlier order of the Union government that deferred the delimitation exercise in the northeastern States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.
An order issued by the Law Ministry said, “The President is satisfied that the circumstances leading to the deferment cease to exist and is, therefore, pleased to rescind the February 8, 2008 order.”
The latest Law Ministry order noted that there has been a significant improvement in the security situation and a reduction in insurgency incidents, making the situation conducive for carrying out the delimitation exercise now.
The delimitation exercise to readjust the division of each State and Union territory into territorial constituencies for the purpose of elections to the Lok Sabha and to the State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of 2001 census figures was completed by November 26, 2008.
However, this exercise under aegis of the Delimitation Commission, was postponed in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland on apprehension of threat to the peace and public order.
According to the Election Commission of India’s website, delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body.
And the process is assigned to a high power body known as Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission.
“In India, such Delimitation Commissions have been constituted four times -– in 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002,” the EC said.
The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.
These orders come into force on a date to be specified by the President and copies of its orders are laid before Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assembly concerned. "But no modifications are permissible therein by them," the EC website said.
