Guwahati, April 19 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday hit back at the Congress over its criticism of the state’s recent delimitation exercise, accusing the party of misusing the term “gerrymandering” to mislead the public and delegitimise a long-pending electoral correction.

In a post on X, CM Sarma asserted that the delimitation carried out in 2023 was “not a conspiracy but a necessary and overdue exercise” aimed at correcting decades of political imbalance.

He alleged that earlier governments, particularly under the Congress party, had ignored significant demographic changes in several regions, especially Lower Assam, for electoral gains.

“The real distortion of representation happened in the past when changing population patterns were overlooked to suit vote-bank politics,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the current exercise seeks to align constituencies with ground realities.

The delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam was undertaken by the Election Commission of India under provisions of the Delimitation Act, using the 2001 Census as the base.

The process, finalised in August 2023, redrew boundaries of 126 Assembly and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, with a focus on rationalising population distribution, geographical contiguity, and administrative convenience.

The exercise also led to a reconfiguration of reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), reflecting their population share more accurately.

Several constituencies in minority-dominated areas saw boundary changes, which triggered political reactions across party lines.

CM Sarma maintained that the objective of the delimitation was to “restore balance” and ensure fair political representation for indigenous communities.

He further described the current arrangement as a “stop-gap measure” to address concerns arising out of illegal migration and demographic shifts.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have consistently criticised the exercise, alleging that it disproportionately affects certain communities and benefits the ruling dispensation.

They have termed it an instance of gerrymandering — a charge the BJP has strongly rejected.

The Chief Minister said those opposing the exercise were “uncomfortable” because it disrupted a system that had historically worked in their favour, reiterating that the move reflects the aspirations of the people of Assam.

–IANS

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