The Assam Cabinet decided to merge four districts with existing ones and redraw boundaries in 14 places, a day ahead of the Election Commission’s (EC) deadline on starting the delimitation exercise for assembly and parliamentary seats.
The choice was made during a cabinet meeting for Assam in New Delhi. This will result in the merger of the districts of Tamulpur and Baksa, Hojai and Nagaon, Bajali and Barpeta, and Biswanath and Sonitpur.
The decision comes into effect immediately and notifications have been issued. The number of districts in Assam will now get reduced from 35 to 31.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said it had to be done despite him not being very happy with them.
He said “I am not very comfortable with the decisions taken today, but sometimes we have to take some measures keeping the overall good of the state’s people in mind, due to administrative exigencies and for a better future of Assam.”
“This is a transitional phase and we will revive the four districts again once the delimitation exercise is over. In the meantime, the judicial, police and administrative offices in the four districts will keep functioning as usual,” Sarma added.
The formation of new administrative units would be prohibited beginning on January 1 according to EC's announcement on December 27 regarding the redistricting of 126 assembly seats and 14 parliamentary seats. Delimitation would result in certain constituency boundaries being altered, but there would be no increase in the number of seats.
The chief minister said that there would be redrawing of boundaries in 14 areas for administrative reasons. While details of all such places have not been disclosed, he mentioned that the municipal area of North Guwahati, which falls in Kamrup (Rural) district, will now get included in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district.