Tamil Nadu fears losing seats after delimitation

Source: The post Tamil Nadu fears losing seats after delimitation has been created, based on the article “Counting matters: Delimitation must remain true to both representation and federalism” published in “The Hindu” on 28th February 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Polity- issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

Context:  The article discusses Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s call for a national debate on delimitation. It explains how seat allocation in Parliament has been frozen since 1971. Tamil Nadu fears losing representation if seats are reallocated based on population growth. The article urges the government to conduct the delayed Census to address concerns.

For detailed information on Challenges of delimitation in India read this article here

Why is Tamil Nadu Concerned About Delimitation?

1. Risk of Losing Parliamentary Representation: Tamil Nadu fears that the delimitation process may reduce its Lok Sabha seats if they are allocated based on population.
2. Population Growth Comparison: Tamil Nadu’s electorate grew by 171% since 1971, while Bihar’s (including Jharkhand) grew by 233%.
3. Impact on Southern States: If seats are reallocated only based on population, States with lower fertility rates, like Tamil Nadu and other southern states like Kerala and Karnataka may lose seats.
4. Delayed Census Concerns: The 2021 Census has not been conducted, raising fears that early delimitation may favor northern states, increasing their parliamentary seats at the expense of southern states.

Why Was Delimitation Frozen Since 1971?

The government froze the number of seats in 1973 to ensure fairness. States with better health and population control were not “punished” by losing seats to those with higher birth rates. The 84th Constitutional Amendment allowed delimitation only after the first Census following 2026.

What Has the Union Government Said?

Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that southern states will not lose seats on a pro-rata basis and will get their rightful share. However, there is no clear explanation of how this will be done.

What Should Be Done?

The government should conduct the Census soon to remove doubts. India, as a growing global power, cannot afford to delay such a basic national process. The balance of power between states should also be maintained for federal stability.

Question for practice:

Examine why Tamil Nadu is concerned about the impact of delimitation on its parliamentary representation.