Delimitation panel to visit 4 NE states, J&K after preparing framework to redraw constituencies

New Delhi, Aug 30: The Delimitation Commission, set up to redraw the constituencies of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, will visit the north-eastern states and the Union Territory after preparing a "broad framework" of the delimitation exercise, officials said.

The commission will also seek views and inputs of its "associate members" -- a group of Lok Sabha members and MLAs -- after drawing up the broad framework.

"First the broad framework has to be developed on carving out constituencies based on the 2011 Census. Only then would the Delimitation Commission visit the states to meet locals. Once the framework is drawn, it would also interact with associate members to seek their views and inputs," said an official aware of the developments.

The delimitation panel will redraw the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the four north-eastern states and, work on increasing the assembly seats of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.

The Delimitation Commission for the four north-eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir was set up in March.

It is headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai (retd). Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra is the representative of the Election Commission in the delimitation panel while state election commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir and the four states are its ex-officio members.

In May, the Lok Sabha Speaker had nominated 15 MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh as "associate members" of the Delimitation Commission to assist the panel in redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituencies of the north-eastern states and the Union Territory. The 15 MPs include two Union ministers -- Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh.