Supreme Court flags delay in delimitation exercise in northeastern States

It has to be done…it is a statutory mandate and therefore you have to comply with it, court tells Centre

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 19, 2024) flagged the delay in carrying out the delimitation exercise in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, despite a 2020 Presidential order rescinding the deferment of the process.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna asked Additional Solicitor General K.M. Natraj, appearing for the Centre, to take instructions on the future course of action.

“The exercise has to be done…it is a statutory mandate and therefore you have to comply with it,” Chief Justice Khanna addressed Mr. Natraj orally.

Consultations under way

The law officer submitted that while consultations were under way in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, the situation was not conducive in Manipur owing to the ongoing violence in the State.

The Election Commission, represented by senior advocate Maninder Singh, maintained that specific directions from the Centre were required to begin delimitation under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

The next hearing on the petition filed by the ‘Delimitation Demand Committee for the State of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur & Nagaland in North East India’, seeking immediate implementation of the delimitation exercise in the northeastern States, is scheduled for January 2025.

Published - November 19, 2024 09:36 pm IST