NEW DELHI, March 18: The Supreme Court of India on Monday granted the Union Government three months to provide details on the steps taken to implement the delimitation exercise in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur. This decision follows a 2020 Presidential order rescinding the deferment of the delimitation process in these states, which was initially put on hold due to law-and-order concerns.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition seeking the initiation of delimitation in these four states. Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, provides the legal framework for the delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in these states, contingent on the President’s satisfaction that conditions are conducive for the exercise.
The petition, filed by Advocate Gaichangpou Gangmei, referred to the February 2020 Presidential order that allowed for the delimitation exercise. It also highlighted the fact that while delimitation had been initiated for Jammu and Kashmir, no steps had been taken for the northeastern states, despite the order. The petitioners argued that the lack of action violated their constitutional rights under Article 14, as the same exercise was being conducted across the rest of India.
Additionally, the petition emphasized that two decades had passed since the Delimitation Act, 2002 was amended, but no delimitation exercises had been conducted in these northeastern states. The petitioners pointed out that parliamentary and assembly elections had been held successfully in these states without law-and-order issues, further questioning the justification for the delay.
The Supreme Court’s ruling comes after a series of hearings, including one where the court had previously asked the Election Commission about the steps being taken to conduct the delimitation exercise in these states. The Union Government now has three months to provide a clear outline of the measures it will take to ensure the timely completion of the delimitation process in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur.
