The process of redrawing the borders of parliamentary and legislative assembly seats to guarantee equal representation for the people is referred to as the delimitation of Indian constituencies. The President of India appoints a Delimitation Commission to carry out this process. The delimitation process is critical for upholding the democratic norms of fair representation and proportional representation in legislative bodies.
Provisions of the Constitution:
Article 82: This article governs the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha (India’s lower house of parliament). The Delimitation Commission is mandated to determine the number of seats and the breadth of territorial constituencies for each state.
Article 170: This article addresses the allocation of seats in state legislative assemblies. The Delimitation Commission is given authority to establish the number of seats and territorial constituencies for each state legislative assembly.
Delimitation of the Constituencies – Dimensions & Trends
Delimitation Freeze: Delimitation has been a difficult topic in India, particularly since the 1970s. Through the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution, the government halted the process until 2001. This moratorium was imposed to address concerns about the political consequences of redrawing borders. Due to special conditions in various states, the delimitation exercise was again postponed after 2001 until 2026 in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, and Nagaland.
Population Shifts: When there are major population shifts within or between states, delimitation becomes necessary. It ensures that the weight of each vote remains about equal, which is necessary for a functioning democratic system.
Urbanization and Demographic shifts: India’s fast urbanization has resulted in demographic shifts, as more people have moved to cities and urban areas. This has necessitated a reevaluation of constituency boundaries in order to accommodate discrepancies in population density.
Reservation for Scheduled Castes/Tribes: Seats in both the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The proportion of reserved seats in each constituency is decided by the proportion of SC/ST people.
Geographical limits, such as severe terrain or a low population, provide problems in guaranteeing equitable representation in some places. Delimitation commissions must take these variables into account when redrawing boundaries.
Technology and Data-Driven Delimitation: As technology advances and more detailed data becomes available, delimitation activities are becoming more data-driven and accurate, with the goal of minimizing gerrymandering and ensuring fair representation.
Political Benefit: Delimitation can have substantial political consequences. Pushing for delimitation and increasing the number of seats in places where a party has a strong presence or predicts rising support could potentially lead to a higher chance of obtaining more seats in elections.
Catering to Regional Aspirations: By increasing the number of seats in specific regions, political parties may hope to acquire the favor of the local community by catering to their aspirations and desires.
Kalyan Chandra
Kalyan chandra is a political strategist, media and communication consultant with the expertise in public relations, marketing, political research, election campaign management, psephology and digital analytics. He focuses on strategic political consulting, offering services that include competitive research, public opinion collection, and digital media management. Kalyan has significantly contributed to successful campaigns across India with his meticulous approach and deep understanding of the political landscape.
