The delimitation exercise is done to redraw the boundaries of the Lok Sabha and assembly seats based on the latest census. However, there are protests in northeast India, particularly in Assam, due to the following reasons:

• Assam is already grappling with a citizenship crisis due to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the delimitation move is seen as an attempt to further marginalize the indigenous people and dilute their political representation.
• The Assam Accord of 1985 had decided on a cut-off date of March 24, 1971, to identify illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. However, the delimitation exercise will be based on the 2021 census, which could lead to a change in the demographic composition of the state and aggravate the ethnic tensions.
• The delimitation move is seen as a deviation from the earlier written commitment of the government to defer the exercise until after 2026, as the demographic and political situation in Assam is still volatile.
• Many fear that the delimitation exercise could result in some seats being reserved for specific communities, leading to further polarization.

Thus, the delimitation move in Assam has evoked widespread protest due to its potential impact on the political representation and ethnic tensions in the state.