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Context

The freeze on the number of electoral seats, mandated for revision after 2026, is causing a political debate due to its potential to redistribute power between northern and southern states.

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies. 

Its primary goal is to uphold the democratic principle of "One Vote, One Value" by ensuring that constituencies have, as far as practicable, an equal population. 

Constitutional Foundation

Article 82: It directs the Parliament to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census. Following this, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission to readjust Lok Sabha constituencies.

Article 170: It provides for the delimitation of constituencies for State Legislative Assemblies as per the Delimitation Act after each Census.

Article 330 & 332: These articles mandate the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, respectively, based on their population proportion.

Article 329(a): The law relating to delimitation or seat allotment cannot be challenged in court, making the Delimitation Commission's orders final and legally binding.

History of Delimitation & The "Freeze"

The First Freeze (42nd Amendment Act, 1976)

The number of Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats was frozen based on the 1971 Census until 2000 to encourage states to pursue population control measures without losing political representation.

The Extended Freeze (84th Amendment Act, 2001)

The freeze on the total number of seats was extended until the first Census after the year 2026, though the 2002 Delimitation Commission redrew boundaries based on the 2001 Census.

What is Delimitation Commission?

It is a high-powered, independent statutory body appointed by the President of India to redraw the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies.

Composition of the Commission

• Chairperson: A serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court.
• Ex-officio Members:
• The Chief Election Commissioner of India (or an Election Commissioner nominated by them).
• The State Election Commissioner of the respective state.
• Associate Members: These are Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly from the respective state. They provide local knowledge but do not have voting rights in the Commission's decisions.

Guiding Principles and Procedure

• Population as the Basis: The primary criterion is to ensure that all constituencies have a roughly equal population.
• Geographical Compactness: Constituencies should be geographically compact areas.
• Administrative Unit Integrity: As far as possible, the process avoids breaking up administrative units like districts, tehsils, or villages.
• Physical Features & Communication: Natural barriers like mountains or rivers and existing communication facilities are considered for practical boundary drawing.
• SC/ST Reservation: Seats are reserved for SCs and STs in constituencies where their population is comparatively large, based on the proportion of their population in the state.

The process involves preparing draft proposals, holding public sittings to hear objections and suggestions, and then publishing the final orders in the Gazette of India.

Major Challenges and Contemporary Debates

North-South Representational Divide

States that successfully implemented population control policies (mostly in the South) face the prospect of losing seats in Parliament, while states with higher population growth (mostly in the North) are set to gain.

The Dilemma: A strict population-based delimitation could "penalize" southern states for their effective family planning programs, undermining the spirit of cooperative federalism.

Potential Impact: Projections suggest that a delimitation based on the next census population could lead to a shift in political power towards the northern states. 

• For example, states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar may gain over 10-15 seats each, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala could lose seats. This could impact resource allocation under Finance Commissions and influence national policy-making.

The "Frozen" Conundrum and Unequal Representation

Using the 1971 Census to fix the number of seats has created massive disparities in the size of constituencies today, violating the "One Vote, One Value" principle.

• Example: The Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana has over 3.7 million electors, while the Lakshadweep constituency has around 57,000 electors. This means a vote in Lakshadweep carries more weight than a vote in Malkajgiri.

Gerrymandering and Political Influence

While the independent nature of the Delimitation Commission is a strong safeguard against gerrymandering (manipulating boundaries for political advantage), the process is not immune to allegations of political bias. 

Way Forward 

Successfully managing upcoming delimitation challenges requires balancing constitutional norms, federal cooperation, and equitable democracy, making a broad political consensus crucial.

Alternative Criteria

Some experts suggest moving beyond population as the sole criterion. A potential formula could give 50% weightage to population and 50% to other factors like state area, development indicators, or even fiscal discipline.

Gradual Implementation

Instead of a drastic one-time change, the increase/decrease in seats could be phased in over several elections to mitigate political shocks.

Strengthening Federalism

Empower the Rajya Sabha to better represent the interests of the states, to act as a counterbalance to the population-based representation in the Lok Sabha.

Leveraging Technology

Using modern tools like Geographic Information System (GIS) and AI can help create more scientific, transparent, and less contentious constituency boundaries.

Conclusion

Delimitation, essential for Indian democracy, faces a defining moment after the 2026 freeze ends, demanding a national dialogue to resolve representational distortions and ensure a fair outcome for Indian federalism.

Source: THEHINDU