What is Delimitation?
- Process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of constituencies for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
- Conducted by the Delimitation Commission, constituted by an Act of Parliament.
- Based on Census data:
- 1951, 1961, 1971 Census-based exercises conducted.
- 1971 Census-based seat allocation (543 seats) was frozen to encourage population control measures.
- Re-adjustment due after 2026 based on the first Census thereafter.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity)
Issues Around Delimitation
1. Uneven Population Growth Across States
- States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan saw high population growth.
- Southern States (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh) and smaller northern & northeastern States have lower growth rates.
2. Potential Scenarios for Redistribution
- Scenario 1: Maintain 543 seats but redistribute among States.
- Scenario 2: Increase the total seats to 848 based on projected population.
3. Disadvantage to Southern & Smaller States
- If seat distribution is based on projected population, Southern and smaller northern/northeastern States lose political representation.
- Southern States’ share may reduce from 24% to 19% in Lok Sabha.
- Could impact federalism, violating the Basic Structure Doctrine.
- Loss of political bargaining power for States that implemented population control effectively.
4. Lack of Clarity on ‘Pro-Rata’ Basis
- Home Minister Amit Shah assured no reduction in seats for any State.
- However, the basis of increase (current share or projected population) remains unclear.
Possible Solutions
1. Capping Lok Sabha Seats at 543
- Example: U.S. House of Representatives capped at 435 since 1913, despite population growth.
- India has managed with 543 MPs since 1976 despite population increase from 55 crore to 145 crore.
- Prevents disadvantaging well-performing States in terms of population control.
2. Increase State Legislative Assembly Seats Instead
- MPs mainly legislate on Union matters; State issues handled by State governments.
- Increasing MLAs in State Assemblies ensures better local representation without disturbing national political balance.
3. Ensuring Fair Representation for All Regions
- Safeguards for federal balance should be introduced to prevent disenfranchisement of any region.
- Parliamentary consensus needed to maintain equitable representation across States.
