Guwahati, July 3 : Protests against the delimitation draft proposed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) resumed in Assam on Monday with several ethnic community organisations coming out in the streets of Sonapur near here to oppose the draft tooth and nail.
According to reports, the members of the protesting groups marched to the Tetelia junction, holding banners and shouting slogans against the proposed draft. They reportedly tried to obstruct rail movement even as police personnel took control of the situation later.
Not just Sonapur, but protests have been staged against the delimitation draft across the state over the past few weeks. It may be recalled that hundreds of protesters were detained by police during a 12-hour-bandh in southern Assam’s Barak Valley (comprising Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts) on June 27, called by several organisations and Opposition parties.
According to the draft, the number of Assembly seats in Barak Valley is proposed to be reduced to 13 from 15.
The very next day, the draft triggered protests in Dibrugarh district with a 12-hour bandh called in Lahowal constituency. Residents of Lahowal constituency staged a sit-in-demonstration against the proposal to divide the constituency into four parts- Tingkhong, Chabua, Dibrugarh and Duliajan.
Meanwhile, the protestors alleged discrepancies in the census of SC population in Upper Assam. The protesting organizations demanded that a fresh census be done for the people.
It may be noted that in the delimitation draft released on June 20, the Election Commission of India had proposed to retain the number of Assembly seats in Assam at 126 and the Lok Sabha constituencies at 14. All Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the state will be delimited on the basis of the 2001 census as provided in Article 170 and Article 82 of the Constitution.
The census figures of 2001, as published by the Census Commissioner, had been considered for the purpose. Nineteen seats in the Legislative Assembly have been proposed to be allocated for Scheduled Tribes out of 126 seats, while two seats have been proposed to be allocated for Scheduled Tribes out of 14 seats in the House of People allocated to Assam.
Similarly, nine seats in the Legislative Assembly have been proposed to be allocated for Scheduled Castes, while one seat was proposed to be allocated for Scheduled Castes in the House of People.