On Saturday, ahead of the delimitation process announced by the Election Commission of India, Assam Cabinet decided to merge four districts of the state. Biswanath will be merged with Sonitpur, Tamulpur to be merged with Baksa, Hojai to be merged with Nagaon and Bajali have been merged with Barpeta.
The police and judicial operations will, as usual, continue in these districts. Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Delhi today, “The merger decision was not an easy one for us to take. I have recently visited these districts. There are some decisions you have to take even if you do not like them. This decision has been taken keeping in mind the welfare, betterment, and development of the merged districts and the larger good of Assam. This was an administrative compulsion,” the CM said adding that the government would ensure that the public do not face any inconvenience because of the merger.
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The delimitation process will start tomorrow in Assam. The CM hoped, the process of delimitation should be completed in 6-8
months, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. The CM said that since the Election Commission’s delimitation the process is on, and there is a ban on the transfer of officials till January 5 therefore, the Cabinet had to take the merger decision today, because it would require changing certain officials.
CM said this is a temporary measure in accordance with the Election Commission's order. After the merger, the number of districts will come down from 35 to 31.
