Assam’s story cannot be understood through borrowed metaphors or distant ideological templates. It demands engagement with its history, its agreements, and its anxieties. Only then can the debate over delimitation move from rhetorical labeling to meaningful democratic dialogue.

Courts are guided by a four-step test from Mahesh Damu Khare v. State of Maharashtra (2024): Determine if the allegations, on their face, constitute a crime, assess the legitimacy of the settlement, take into account the impact on society, and make sure there is no abuse of process.