The stakes in India’s delimitation debate

GS-II: Indian Polity | Constitutional Provisions | Federalism | Electoral Reforms | Representation

Context

• Fresh delimitation under discussion: The BJP is seeking a two-thirds majority in Parliament to pass a Constitutional Amendment for fresh delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies.
• Earlier attempt: The government had moved a Constitutional Amendment in April 2026, but it could not be passed.
• Proposals discussed earlier: The Centre had proposed:
  • Increasing the Lok Sabha strength to a maximum of 850 seats.
  • Allocating seats among States based on the 2011 Census through fresh delimitation.
  • Reserving one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women.

What Happens Without a Constitutional Amendment?

• Fresh delimitation is constitutionally mandated: A Constitutional Amendment is not required for fresh delimitation under the existing provisions.
• Trigger after Census 2027: Articles 81 and 82 provide for action after publication of data from the first Census conducted after 2026, which would be the 2027 Census.
• Two changes will follow:
  • Reallocation of Lok Sabha seats among States and Union Territories based on population.
  • Delimitation of individual constituencies within each State.
• Existing seat allocation: At present, the distribution of 543 Lok Sabha seats among States is based on the 1971 Census.

Can Delimitation Be Completed Before 2029?

• Uncertain timeline: It may or may not be completed before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
• Previous experience: The last Delimitation Commission was constituted in 2002, after the 2001 Census, and its recommendations were implemented in 2008.
• 2009 elections: The 2009 Lok Sabha elections were conducted using the newly drawn constituencies.
• Earlier seat reallocation: The last reallocation of Lok Sabha seats among States took place in 1973, based on the 1971 Census.
• Digital Census: Since the 2027 Census involves completely digitalised data collection, the delimitation process could theoretically be faster.
• Possible continuation: If not completed before 2029, the exercise could continue into the term of the next Lok Sabha.

Likely Mandate of the Next Delimitation Commission

• Change in population benchmark: The present allocation is based on the 1971 population. The next exercise would use the population recorded in the first Census after 2026.
• Regional redistribution: Broadly, southern States could lose their share of Lok Sabha seats, while Hindi-speaking States, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, could gain seats.
• Federal concern: Such redistribution could significantly alter the balance of political representation between States.

Women’s Reservation

• One-third reservation: One-third of Lok Sabha seats nationally and one-third of seats within each State will be reserved for women.
• Linked with Census and delimitation: In the absence of a Constitutional Amendment altering the existing framework, the sequence would be:
  1. Reallocation of Lok Sabha seats among States
  2. Delimitation of constituencies within States
  3. Implementation of women’s reservation

How Is State-wise Seat Allocation Determined?

• Population-based principle: Seats are broadly allocated among States according to population, with Article 81 requiring this to be done, “so far as practicable,” on the basis of a national average.
• One Person, One Vote, One Value: Ideally, each MP should represent a broadly similar number of voters.
• Current variation: In 1967, an MP in most major States represented roughly 4–5 lakh electors. Today, an MP represents around 14 lakh electors in Kerala and around 19 lakh in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• Population-control dilemma: The variation resulted from decisions in 1976 and 2001 to avoid penalising States that had successfully stabilised their populations.
• Federalism vs democracy: The delimitation debate involves balancing:
  • Federalism: Fair representation of States.
  • Democracy: The principle of one vote, one value.

What Is Gerrymandering?

• Meaning: Gerrymandering refers to manipulating electoral constituency boundaries to influence electoral outcomes.
• Equal population is not enough: Even if constituencies have roughly equal numbers of voters, the manner in which voters are grouped can affect representation.
• Cracking: Supporters of a particular party are spread across multiple constituencies, preventing them from obtaining enough votes to win any constituency.
• Packing: Supporters are concentrated into a few constituencies, allowing the opposing party to win more constituencies despite having fewer overall supporters.
• Democratic impact: Therefore, the drawing of constituency boundaries can significantly influence electoral outcomes and the effective value of votes.

Core Constitutional Tension

• Representation vs federal balance: Delimitation seeks to ensure more equal representation of voters while also maintaining the federal balance among States.
• Population growth vs population stabilisation: States that experienced higher population growth may gain greater representation, while States that successfully stabilised population growth may fear losing political weight.
• Central challenge: The key issue is to reconcile “One Person, One Vote, One Value” with the principles of federalism and equitable representation of States.

Conclusion

The delimitation exercise is not merely a technical redrawing of electoral boundaries; it involves a fundamental debate over democratic representation and Indian federalism. The challenge is to ensure greater equality in the value of votes while preventing population-control successes from becoming a source of political disadvantage for States.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Delimitation involves a fundamental tension between the principles of “one person, one vote, one value” and federal representation. Discuss in the context of the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies.