Revised delimitation exercise-Understanding the delimitation exercise

Source: The post revised delimitation exercise has been created, based on the article “Understanding the delimitation exercise” published in “The Hindu” on 7th February 2024.

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

News: The article discusses how constituencies for India’s Lok Sabha and state assemblies are drawn based on population. It explains the process of delimitation, which is adjusting the number and boundaries of these constituencies. The article also explores various approaches to this process, including international practices, and suggests a balanced solution that respects both democratic and federal principles.

What is delimitation?

Delimitation is the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to reflect the changes in population.

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What are the challenges with the revised delimitation exercise?

Impact of Census Postponement: Normally, delimitation based on the 2031 Census would occur, as it would be the first Census after 2026. However, the postponement of the 2021 Census and the approaching year 2026 have accelerated discussions on the upcoming delimitation exercise.

Disparities in Population Growth: In the federal system, which advocates for equal state representation, states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which have effectively controlled population growth, might lose seats to rapidly growing states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This disparity risks creating feelings of unfairness and disenchantment among the effectively managed states, potentially leading to an imbalance in representation.

Debated Options: There are two key options under discussion. One is to keep the Lok Sabha seats at 543 and reallocate them based on new population data. The other is to increase the seats to 848, ensuring proportional representation for all states. However, the first option may favor more populous states, while the second could result in a too-large Lok Sabha without fully resolving underrepresentation issues for less populous states.

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What are international practices?

In the United States, the House of Representatives has maintained a fixed number of 435 seats since 1913. The distribution of these seats across states is adjusted after each Census using the ‘method of equal proportions’. This ensures balanced representation despite population changes. For instance, following the 2020 Census, 37 states experienced no change in their seat allocation, Texas gained two seats, while five other states gained one seat each, and seven states lost one seat.

In the European Union, the EU Parliament, with 720 members, employs ‘degressive proportionality‘ for seat allocation among its 27 member countries. This method ensures a more equitable representation relative to the population size of each country. For example, Denmark, with a population of around 6 million, has 15 seats, whereas Germany, with a significantly larger population of 83 million, holds 96 seats, demonstrating the varying population-to-seat ratios.

What should be done?

Maintain Lok Sabha Seats: Keep the number of Lok Sabha seats capped at 543 to prevent disruptions in current state representations and uphold federal principles.

Adjust State Assembly Seats: Increase the number of seats in state assemblies according to current population trends, but without altering the number of Rajya Sabha seats.

Empower Local Bodies: Strengthen local governance by significantly enhancing the powers and financial resources of panchayats and municipalities, fostering democracy at the grassroots level.

Question for practice:

Discuss the potential options for addressing disparities in population growth and ensuring fair representation in India’s Lok Sabha, considering the challenges and international practices in seat allocation.