Delimitation Debate in India

There has been a renewed debate about delimitation after the issue raised by Southern states. The delimitation of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is to be carried out on the basis of the first Census after 2026.

What is Delimitation?

• Delimitation refers to the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
• It is carried out by the Delimitation Commission, which is constituted by an Act of Parliament.
  • Delimitation was conducted after the 1951, 1961, and 1971 Censuses.
  • In 1976, the number of Lok Sabha seats was frozen at 543 based on the 1971 Census, despite an increasing population, to encourage population control measures.
• As per constitutional provisions, this freeze will be lifted after the first Census post-2026, leading to a redistribution or increase of seats.

Key Issues in Delimitation

• Uneven Population Growth: Northern states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have seen higher population growth than Southern states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh) and smaller northern states (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Northeast).
  • This creates an imbalance in representation if seats are reallocated solely based on population.
• Possible Scenarios for Seat Allocation: Redistribution of existing 543 seats among states based on the new Census. Increase in the total number of seats to 848, with a proportional rise for all states.
• Impact on Southern and Smaller States: If seats are reallocated based on population, Southern states’ share in the Lok Sabha will decline from 24% to 19%.
  • Smaller states in the North and Northeast will also lose political significance despite successfully controlling population growth.
  • This could violate the federal structure of India, leading to political disenchantment in the affected states.

Potential Solutions

• Capping Lok Sabha Seats at 543: India has functioned with 543 MPs since 1976, even as the population grew from 55 crore to 145 crore. With population projected to peak at 165-170 crore in the next three decades, a fixed number of MPs would maintain federal balance and prevent the dominance of larger states.
  • The U.S. follows a similar model, capping the House of Representatives at 435 seats since 1913, despite population growth.
• Increasing State Assembly Seats: The number of MLAs in each State can be increased based on projected population to ensure local representation, while maintaining a fixed number of Lok Sabha MPs.
• Political Consensus and Federal Safeguards: MPs from Southern states, smaller Northern states, and the Northeast must push for a cap in Parliament to protect their political representation.
  • A balanced approach should be taken to ensure representation without penalizing states that have implemented successful population control measures.