[Answered] Discuss the role of delimitation in ensuring political equality in India. How does the process of delimitation impact the principle of ‘one person, one vote, one value’ in the context of Indian democracy?

The process of drawing the borders of parliamentary or assembly seats is referred to as delimitation. A Delimitation Commission oversees this process following each census, and its decisions are final and unchallengeable in court. Seats reserved for the SC and ST communities in the state assembly or the Lok Sabha are also a result of delimitation. Article 82 of the Constitution states that following a ten-year census, Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act.

Role of delimitation in ensuring political equality in India

• Ensuring Proportional Representation– Delimitation Exercise provides equal representation to equal segments of the population. The Delimitation Commission chooses the number and boundaries of the constituencies in such a way that the population of each seat is the same, as far as possible.
• Periodic Review: To take into consideration changes in the population’s distribution and demographics, delimitation is not a one-time task but rather is done regularly. By doing this, political equality is maintained throughout time by ensuring that election borders continue to reflect changing demographics.
• Avoiding Malapportionment: Malapportionment is the term used to describe the unequal distribution of voters among constituencies, which results in differences in the weight of each vote. Delimitation lessens the effects of population fluctuations and shifts by redrawing constituency boundaries, which helps prevent malapportionment.

Impact of delimitation on the” one person, one vote” principle

• Preserving the Honesty of the Democratic Process: The core tenet of democracy is “one person, one vote, one value.” By taking into account population fluctuations over time, preventing the concentration of political power in particular areas, and encouraging a more equitable allocation of electoral constituencies, delimitation protects the integrity of this ideal.
• Fair Representation: The goal of delimitation is to give various communities and areas of the nation equitable representation. It facilitates demographic shifts by guaranteeing that political power is dispersed proportionately to the population across a range of geographic locations.
• Social and Regional Equity: Delimitation considers factors such as social diversity and regional representation. By taking into account the distribution of different communities and regions, delimitation strives to ensure that diverse groups have proportional political representation, contributing to the democratic principle of equality.

Conclusion

The upcoming delimitation exercise should take into account the concerns of southern states and minorities in the matter of allocation of seats to give them fair representation in the exercise’s major role in strengthening or weakening democracy through redrawing of boundaries.