Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently assured southern states that no parliamentary seats would be lost in the upcoming delimitation exercise. This statement was aimed at easing concerns in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where leaders fear a reduction in representation if the process is based solely on population data.
Delimitation in India
- Constitutional Provisions:
- Articles 81 & 170: Ensure that the ratio of population to parliamentary and legislative assembly constituencies remains as equal as possible.
- Article 327: Grants Parliament the power to make delimitation laws, which cannot be challenged in court.
- Delimitation Process:
- The Constitution (84th Amendment) Act, 2002 froze constituency boundaries until the first Census after 2026.
- Delimitation Commissions are formed by the government and headed by a retired Supreme Court judge for impartiality.
- The exercise is done after every Census to ensure equal vote value across constituencies.
- Historical Context:
- India has conducted four delimitation exercises so far: 1952, 1962, 1972, and 2002.
- The next delimitation is expected after the 2031 Census.
Why Southern States Are Concerned
- Southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala successfully controlled population growth, unlike northern states, where numbers have risen.
- If seat allocation is based on population alone, southern states fear losing seats to states with larger populations.
- Political Implications: A shift in parliamentary seats could alter regional influence at the national level.
