Debasis Sen, the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), said Kolkata would now have a new Lok Sabha seat — Kolkata North. The areas under two other seats — Kolkata North East and Kolkata East — have been adjusted within Kolkata North and Kolkata South.

Kolkata South, the stronghold of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, will now include urbanised Assembly segments that were earlier under South 24 Parganas district. The number of Lok Sabha seats or parliamentary constituencies remains unchanged at 42, but the number reserved for scheduled caste candidates have increased from eight to ten, Sen said. “The strength of unreserved constituencies has decreased from 32 to 30,” he said. Thus, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s Bolpur seat has been reserved for a scheduled caste candidate. While the total number of Assembly constituencies in the state remains unchanged at 294, eight districts, especially those on the Bangladesh border, have gained seats to adjust for a higher population growth. Others have correspondingly lost seats.

“The number Assembly constituencies has decreased in seven districts. In four districts, the strength remains the same,” he added. “Kolkata had 21 Assembly segments. This has come down to 11,” Sen said. Among well-known politicians who find themselves without a seat now are Revolutionary Socialist Party’s Kshiti Goswami, who is the public works minister, and rebel Congress leader Somen Mitra. Goswami’s Dhakuria Assembly seat has been merged with Tollygunge, while Mitra’s Sealdah constituency is now part of Vidyasagar.

The delimitation process was carried out right down to the lanes in urban areas and habitation clusters under villages in rural areas — with the aim enrolling 970 voters in each “part” of the electoral roll. The state’s roll now has 51,919 parts, representing a total voter population of 5,04,09,781. Each of the new constituencies will have seven Assembly segments, with an average voter count of 1.71 lakh. Two Assembly segments have been created — Rajarhat New Town and Bidhannagar, adjoining Kolkata to the north and north-east. Bidhannagar was so far part of East Belgachhia constituency of Subhas Chakraborty, the senior CPI(M) leader who is into his sixth term. Rajarhat has gained New Town.

The CEO also released the draft publication of the photo electoral roll. Claims and objections will be accepted for seven days starting today. The photo electoral rolls will be published on September 15.