17Delimitation of constituencies

(1) For the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of section 12, the Election Commission shall determine in the manner hereinafter provided—

(a) the number of seats to be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assemblies of the States of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, respectively having regard to the relevant provisions of the Constitution;

(b) the assembly constituencies into which each State referred to in clause (a) shall be divided, the extent of each of such constituencies and in which of them seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes or for the Scheduled Tribes; and

(c) the adjustments in the boundaries and description of the extent of the parliamentary constituencies in each State referred to in clause (a) that may be necessary or expedient.

(2) In determining the matters referred to in clauses (b) and (c) of sub-section (1), the Election Commission shall have regard to the following provisions, namely:—

(a) all the constituencies shall be single-member constituencies;

(b) all constituencies shall, as far as practicable, be geographically compact areas, and in delimiting them, regard shall be had to physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facilities of communication and conveniences to the public; and

(c) constituencies in which seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall, as far as practicable, be located in areas where the proportion of their population to the total population is the largest.

(3) The Election Commission shall, for the purpose of assisting it in the performance of its functions under sub-section (1), associate with itself as associate members, five persons as the Central Government may, by order specify, being persons who are members of the Legislative Assembly of the State or of the House of the People representing the State:

Provided that none of the associate members shall have a right to vote or to sign any decision of the Election Commission.

(4) If, owing to death or resignation, the office of an associate member falls vacant, it shall be filled as far as practicable, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3).

(5) The Election Commission shall

(a) publish its proposals for the delimitation of constituencies together with the dissenting proposals, if any, of any associate member who desires publication thereof in the Official Gazette and in such other manner as the Commission may consider fit, together with a notice inviting objections and suggestions in relation to the proposals and specifying a date on or after which the proposals will be further considered by it;

(b) consider all objections and suggestions which may have been received by it before the date so specified; and

(c) after considering all objections and suggestions which may have been received by it before the date so specified, determine by one or more orders the delimitation of constituencies and cause such order or orders to be published in the Official Gazette; and upon such publication, the order or orders shall have the full force of law and shall not be called in question in any court.

(6) As soon as may be after such publication, every such order relating to assembly constituencies shall be laid before the Legislative Assembly of the concerned State.

(7) The delimitation of constituencies in the States of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh shall be determined on the basis of the published figures of the census taken in the year 1971.