National Desk, 24th July: The Supreme Court has declined to restrain the Election Commission of India (ECI) from continuing the ongoing delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha and assembly seats in Assam, as per reports on Monday.
However, the top court has taken up the matter to assess whether the ECI can conduct the delimitation process independently. In response to a batch of pleas on the issue, the Supreme Court has also sought the Centre and the poll panel’s replies.
As per available information, the court has directed the ECI and Centre to submit their responses within three weeks. Subsequently, the petitioners will have two weeks to file their rejoinders.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has agreed to examine the constitutional validity of Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. This section empowers the Election Commission to undertake the delimitation of constituencies.
It’s noteworthy that ten opposition leaders from Assam had earlier approached the Supreme Court this month, challenging the draft proposal of the ECI for the delimitation of 126 assembly constituencies and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
The ten opposition parties from Assam that filed the petition include Indian National Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Anchalik Gana Morcha, according to sources.
The petitioners have also contested recent proposals by the ECI, which entail readjusting the boundaries of 126 Assembly and 14 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Assam, as per a draft order issued on June 20.
Also read: Gauhati High Court Reserves Verdict in Dhemaji Bomb Blast Case