Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the 2023 delimitation exercise was a major victory for the state’s indigenous communities, claiming it would boost their representation in the assembly.
Claiming that nearly 96-98 seats (in Brahmaputra Valley) of the total 126 in the state would be reserved for the indigenous, the Chief Minister did not exactly elaborate the process further.
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The seats would be reserved for indigenous Assamese with longstanding ties to the state.
He claimed that the move not only safeguards indigenous political participation but also extends to the Barak Valley, where 8 seats will be reserved for indigenous communities, bringing the total number of indigenous-reserved seats to 106 across Assam.
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Sarma termed the delimitation as a crucial step towards protecting the interests of indigenous populations.
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The Chief Minister further linked the delimitation outcomes to the 2023 ULFA Accord, underlining its enduring principles to guide future delimitation processes.
These principles include permanent residency as a prerequisite for contesting elections and restrictions on constituency changes and land purchases within protected areas like Barpeta Satra.
Sarma said that these measures, enshrined within the constitutional framework, offer the highest level of protection for indigenous Assamese.
It may further be mentioned that while the CM said that indigenous reservation would be there, he did not exactly define the term.