Completion of work by Delimitation Commission
Rajya Sabha
The Delimitation Commission could not complete its work by the scheduled time because of the following intervening circumstances:
In June 2003, Parliament passed Constitution (Eighty-seventh Amendment) Act, 2003 which provides that the Delimitation of the Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies should be done on the basis of 2001 census figures. As a consequence the work done by the Commission till June 2003 on the basis of 1991 census figures became non-est and the Commission started afresh. These figures were made available to the Commission much later.
The Delimitation Commission, in terms of the Constitutional provisions, can base its work, only on the published census figures. The 2001 census figures were published as late as on December 31, 2003.
Thereafter in march, 2004 the Lok Sabha was dissolved. Fresh elections were held and the Fourteenth Lok Sabha was constituted. The Associate Members of the Delimitation Commission were nominated by the Lok Sabha Speaker in July 2004.
The Gauhati High Court stayed the delimitation exercise in respect of the State of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur on the grounds of disputed census figures.
The Delimitation Commission was constituted under section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 vide Government of India Gazette Notification dated July 12, 2002. Initially, the Delimitation Commission was given a term of two years from the date of publication of Notification dated July 12, 2002. Subsequently, its term was extended on year to year basis. Vide the Government of India Notification number S.O. 1064 (E), dated the July 2, 2007 its present term has been extended up to July 31, 2008.
So far the Delimitation Commission has completed its exercise in respect of 25 State. The Delimitation exercise was respect to the remaining States and Union Territories is yet to be completed. The new delimitation will take effect from the date to be specified by the President of India under the second proviso to article 82 and second proviso clause (3) of article 170 of the Constitution.
This was stated by the Minister of State of Law and Justice, Shri K. Venkatapathy, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
MLD:LK:L&J-85(Delimitation Commission)(10.9.07)
(Release ID :31140)