Context : The delimitation debate involves a conflict between two principles:
- Democracy: “One person, one vote, one value” — equal weight to each citizen’s vote.
- Federalism: India is a Union of States — States must retain equitable power and identity regardless of population changes.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity , Constitution , Governance)
Legal & Constitutional Framework
- Article 81(2) provides a two-step process for Lok Sabha seat allocation:
- Step 1: Seats allocated among States based on population (Article 81(2)(a)).
- Step 2: States divided internally into constituencies with roughly equal population (Article 81(2)(b)).
- Both clauses include “so far as practicable”, allowing for flexibility and political accommodation.
84th and 87th Constitutional Amendments (2001, 2003)
- Apportionment between States frozen based on 1971 Census (to reward population control).
- Delimitation within States done using 2001 Census.
- Delimitation Commission (2002) recommendations implemented in 2008.
- Next inter-State redistribution deferred until after first Census post-2026, per 84th Amendment.
Unequal Vote Values Across States
- Due to freeze and population changes, voter representation per MP has become unequal.
- In 1967: MPs represented ~4.2–5.3 lakh electors across States (more equal).
- In 2024:
- Kerala MP: 13.9 lakh electors.
- UP/Bihar MP: 19.3 lakh electors.
- Rajasthan MP: 21.4 lakh electors.
Vote Value Disparity – Explained
- National median = 1 vote value.
- If MP has double the population of median: vote value = 0.5.
- If MP has half the population: vote value = 2.
- In 2024:
- Kerala: +30% vote value.
- Tamil Nadu: +13%, Odisha: +12%, Punjab: +9%.
- Rajasthan: –16%, UP & Bihar: –7% each.
Impact of Redrawing on State Representation
- If delimitation is done on current population:
- High-population growth States gain more seats.
- States with stable populations lose representation.
- Example:
- Rajasthan could go from 4.6% to 5.5% of LS seats.
- Kerala could drop from 3.7% to 2.8%.
Analogy: Joint Family and Landholding
- India = joint family; States = constituent families.
- Seats = land parcels allocated by family size.
- Over time, families (States) grew/declined unevenly.
- Thus, per capita share (vote value) has become inequitable, like unequal land division.
Key Takeaways
- Federal democracy requires balancing two values:
- Individual equality (democracy).
- Collective equity among States (federalism).
- Upcoming delimitation post-2026 will require delicate political negotiation.
- Raises questions:
- Should States that controlled population be penalized?
- Can equal vote value be achieved without federal imbalance?
