diff --git a/.github/workflows/comment-commands.yml b/.github/workflows/comment-commands.yml
index e31d9ab343459..d407f40ef2c08 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/comment-commands.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/comment-commands.yml
@@ -9,15 +9,6 @@ permissions:
   pull-requests: write
 
 jobs:
-  issue_assign:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
-    if: (!github.event.issue.pull_request) && github.event.comment.body == 'take'
-    concurrency:
-      group: ${{ github.actor }}-issue-assign
-    steps:
-      - run: |
-          echo "Assigning issue ${{ github.event.issue.number }} to ${{ github.event.comment.user.login }}"
-          curl -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" -d '{"assignees": ["${{ github.event.comment.user.login }}"]}' https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/issues/${{ github.event.issue.number }}/assignees
   preview_docs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     if: github.event.issue.pull_request && github.event.comment.body == '/preview'
diff --git a/doc/source/development/contributing.rst b/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
index 66178a88e3e31..a49afce8861cc 100644
--- a/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
+++ b/doc/source/development/contributing.rst
@@ -36,16 +36,14 @@ and `good first issue
 <https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/issues?q=is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-desc+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22+no%3Aassignee>`_
 are typically good for newer contributors.
 
-Once you've found an interesting issue, it's a good idea to assign the issue to yourself,
-so nobody else duplicates the work on it. On the Github issue, a comment with the exact
-text ``take`` to automatically assign you the issue
-(this will take seconds and may require refreshing the page to see it).
+Once you've found an interesting issue, leave a comment with your intention
+to start working on it. If somebody else has
+already commented on issue but they have shown a lack of activity in the issue
+or a pull request in the past 2-3 weeks, you may take it over.
 
 If for whatever reason you are not able to continue working with the issue, please
-unassign it, so other people know it's available again. You can check the list of
-assigned issues, since people may not be working in them anymore. If you want to work on one
-that is assigned, feel free to kindly ask the current assignee if you can take it
-(please allow at least a week of inactivity before considering work in the issue discontinued).
+leave a comment on an issue, so other people know it's available again. You can check the list of
+assigned issues, since people may not be working in them anymore.
 
 We have several :ref:`contributor community <community>` communication channels, which you are
 welcome to join, and ask questions as you figure things out. Among them are regular meetings for