The electoral machinery in Assam has officially begun gearing up for the crucial state assembly polls scheduled for early next year. This follows the publication of the integrated draft electoral roll on Saturday, a significant milestone that sets the stage for the first state election since constituencies were comprehensively redrawn earlier in 2023.
A Revised Process for a Redrawn Map
Unlike the usual nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR), this draft roll was prepared after a special revision exercise tailored for Assam. The process commenced with house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) starting November 22. The findings from this grassroots verification have now been integrated into the draft rolls made public.
The Election Commission has laid out a clear calendar for the subsequent steps. A critical window for filing claims and objections will be open from December 27 to January 22. To facilitate public participation, special campaigns will be organized on Saturdays during this period, with the disposal of these claims and objections scheduled for Sundays. The entire process will culminate in the publication of the final electoral rolls on February 10, 2024.
The Impact of Delimitation on Assam's Political Landscape
This electoral exercise unfolds against the backdrop of sweeping changes brought about by the delimitation process, which was based on 2001 Census data. This is the first delimitation in Assam since 1976, which used the 1971 Census, making it a transformative event after nearly five decades.
While the total strength of the Assam legislative assembly remains at 126 seats and the state's Lok Sabha representation stays at 14 seats, the internal map has been radically altered. The delimitation has reshaped constituencies, renamed 19 seats, and significantly altered reserved representation.
The number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) has increased from eight to nine. More notably, seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) have risen from 16 to 19. The Bodoland Territorial Region districts have seen their assembly constituencies grow from 11 to 15, and West Karbi Anglong has gained an additional seat.
The new constituency names now reflect geographical and cultural identities, creating paired seats such as:
- Chabua-Lahowal
- Hajo-Sualkuchi
- Boko-Chaygaon
- Nagaon-Batadraba
- Bhowanipur-Sorbhog
- Algapur-Katlichera
Symbolism and the Road Ahead
Symbolism is deeply embedded in the new electoral map. A parliamentary constituency has been named Kaziranga and an assembly seat christened Manas, paying homage to Assam's iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site national parks and their global conservation significance.
The combination of fresh draft rolls, a structured claims-and-objections process, and fundamentally redrawn boundaries is poised to recalibrate political representation in the state. This is expected to reshape the contours of political competition, influencing strategies for all major parties as they prepare for the polls early next year. The publication of the draft roll marks the operational start of an election that will be fought on a new battlefield, literally and figuratively.
