"Debate Over Expanding Lok Sabha Seats Ahead of Delimitation Exercise"
Delimitation
Redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries and reallocation of seats among states after a census.
Article 82
Constitutional provision mandating readjustment of Lok Sabha seats after every census.
Delimitation, the redrawing of constituency boundaries and reallocation of parliamentary seats, is constitutionally mandated under Article 82, which requires readjustment of Lok Sabha seats after every census. Article 81 sets the constitutional ceiling at 550 Lok Sabha seats; any expansion beyond this requires a constitutional amendment under Article 368. The total number of seats has been frozen at 543 since the 1970s. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 first froze the seat count on the basis of the 1971 Census. The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2001 extended this freeze until after the first census conducted post-2026. The freeze was a deliberate policy choice. States that had successfully controlled population growth, predominantly in southern India, were not to be penalised by losing proportional representation in Parliament relative to faster-growing states.
The Delimitation Commission, constituted under the Delimitation Commission Act, is a quasi-judicial body. Its orders carry the force of law and are not subject to judicial review. Four such Commissions have been constituted so far, the most recent in 2002. The next delimitation exercise is constitutionally due once post-2026 census data becomes available. The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (Women's Reservation Act) added a new layer of urgency. It reserves one-third of Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats for women, but explicitly defers implementation until after the first delimitation following the next census. This linkage has made delimitation both politically urgent and deeply contentious.
Delimitation serves two distinct functions. The first is boundary readjustment: redrawing constituency lines within a fixed total seat count. The second is seat reallocation: changing the total number of seats distributed across states. The current controversy centres on the second function. Under a strictly population-based formula, states with higher population growth, predominantly in northern India, would gain seats, while southern states would lose proportional representation even as their absolute seat numbers remain unchanged.
The fiscal dimension sharpens this tension. Southern states contribute a disproportionately large share of Union tax revenues relative to their population. A population-only formula would reduce their political voice in Parliament precisely as their economic contribution grows. …
Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to the 'One Nation–One Election' principle.
Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members in the Parliament of India:
1.Unstarred questions are those to which a Member desires an oral answer in the House.
2.Starred questions are those to which a Member desires a written answer.
3.No supplementary question can be asked on an unstarred question.
Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?
With reference to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, consider the following statements:
While any resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is under consideration
1.He/She shall not preside.
2.He/She shall not have the right to speak.
3.He/She shall not be entitled to vote on the resolution in the first instance.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the freeze on Lok Sabha seats in India:
1.The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act froze the seat count based on the 1971 Census.
2.The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act extended the freeze until after the first census post-2026.
3.Article 81 of the Constitution sets the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats at 543.
4.Any expansion of Lok Sabha seats beyond the constitutional ceiling requires an amendment under Article 368.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to the Delimitation Commission of India, consider the following statements:
1.It is constituted under the Delimitation Commission Act.
2.Its orders have the force of law and are not subject to judicial review.
3.It can both redraw constituency boundaries and change the total number of seats allocated to each state.
4.Four Delimitation Commissions have been constituted in India so far.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Match the following Constitutional Amendments with their primary effect on Lok Sabha delimitation:
List I (Amendment) — List II (Primary Effect)
A.42nd Constitutional Amendment Act — 1. Extended the seat freeze until after the first post-2026 census
B.84th Constitutional Amendment Act — 2. Froze Lok Sabha seat count based on the 1971 Census
C.106th Constitutional Amendment Act — 3. Reserved one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women, deferred to post-delimitation
Select the correct match:
Consider the following statements regarding the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023:
1.It reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
2.The reservation comes into effect immediately upon enactment.
3.Implementation is deferred until after the first delimitation exercise following the next census.
4.It also reserves seats for women in the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Assertion (A): A strictly population-based delimitation formula creates a structural disincentive for states to invest in demographic transition and human development.
Reason (R): Under such a formula, states that successfully reduce fertility rates and grow their tax base would receive fewer Lok Sabha seats relative to states with higher population growth.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Assertion and Reason?
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