The Supreme Court granted the Centre three months to complete the long-pending delimitation exercise in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam.
A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna considered the request of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who sought additional time for the process. The court then deferred the hearing to July 21, directing the Centre to ensure completion of the exercise within the stipulated period.
The apex court had earlier expressed concerns over the prolonged delay, despite a 2020 presidential order that lifted the deferment of delimitation in these states. The bench questioned the Centre’s role in the delay, stating, “Once the President rescinds the notification, that is enough to proceed with the delimitation exercise. Where does the government come in?”
In response, the Centre informed the court that while consultations were ongoing for Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, the situation in Manipur remained volatile due to ongoing violence, making the exercise challenging.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Delimitation Demand Committee for the State of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur & Nagaland in North East India, which sought immediate implementation of the delimitation process.
Advocate G. Gangmei, representing the petitioner, argued that the President’s 2020 order made delimitation legally mandatory. He pointed out that despite the petition being filed two years ago, no substantial progress had been made in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur. Only Assam had completed the exercise in August 2023, following an order from the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) stated that specific directions from the Centre were required under Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to initiate the process.
The petition also highlighted concerns over “selective denial” of delimitation in these states, arguing that it violated the fundamental right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 21.
