Delimitation will protect rights of indigenous communities, says Assam Minister

Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday expressed hope that the delimitation exercise in the state will ensure the protection of the rights of the indigenous communities.

"We hope that this delimitation ensures that political rights of indigenous communities of Assam are protected. We want to see that we do not lose any seats when the delimitation report is published. Assam should be governed by indigenous people," Sarma told reporters here.

The long-overdue delimitation exercise to readjust the division of Assam into territorial constituencies for the purpose of elections to both state Assembly and Lok Sabha, on the basis of the 2001 Census, has received the go-ahead from President Ram Nath Kovind, according to an order from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Speaking about the Inner Line Permit, he said, "Members of the Committee on Assam Accord's Clause 6 has informally clarified that they never directly recommended the introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Assam."

The ILP is a document that allows an Indian citizen to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system for a limited time period.