Impact of Upcoming Census on Delimitation and Women’s Reservation

Source: The post impact of upcoming census on delimitation and women’s reservation has been created, based on the article “Why this Census is crucial for delimitation, women’s quota, what’s the legal roadmap” published in “Indian Express” on 30th October 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS paper2-polity- issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

Context: The article discusses the upcoming Census in India, expected to start next year and finish by 2026. This will affect delimitation, which redraws constituency boundaries, and women’s reservation in elections. Both processes depend on the Census results and legal amendments.

For detailed information on Delimitation Exercise read this article here

What is the expected timeline for the census and its impact on Delimitation?

1. The Indian government aims to begin the Census next year and complete it by 2026, aligning it with preparation for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
2. Delimitation, or redrawing constituency boundaries, depends on Census data. It last happened in 2002, using data from the 1971 and 2001 Censuses.
3. Currently, Lok Sabha has 543 seats and all state Assemblies together have 4,123 seats, based on older Census figures when India’s population was 54.81 crore (1971) and 102.87 crore (2001).
4. With the expected 1.5 billion population in the upcoming Census, seats in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies are likely to increase significantly.

What legal changes are needed for delimitation?

1. For delimitation to happen before the next Lok Sabha election in 2029, Article 82, along with Articles 81, 170, and 55, will need to be amended.
2. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976 froze delimitation until after the 2001 Census, and it was extended for 25 years in 2001.
3. Now, any adjustment must wait until the Census after 2026. Southern states with controlled population growth worry they might lose seats if only population data is considered.

What role does the Census play in women’s reservation?

1. The Constitution (128th Amendment) Act, passed in 2023, reserves 33% of seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for women.
2. This reservation will only be implemented after the Census and subsequent delimitation. Currently, with 545 seats in Lok Sabha, 182 would be reserved for women, leaving 363 for men, which could challenge current male representatives.
3. However, if the strength of Lok Sabha increases to 770 seats, as projected, there would be 257 seats for women, with 513 for men, easing the transition for male politicians.

For detailed information on Political Empowerment of Women read this article here

Question for practice:

Discuss how the upcoming Census in India is expected to impact delimitation and the implementation of women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.