THE FALLOUT OF DELIMITATION IN THE STATES NEEDS NO POLITICAL FORECASTING
On May 28, after inaugurating the new Parliament building, PM Modi stated that the number of seats and MPs in the Lok Sabha will increase, pointing to the possible delimitation exercise that could follow in the coming Monsoon session.
THE FALLOUT OF DELIMITATION IN THE STATES NEEDS NO POLITICAL FORECASTING
On May 28, after inaugurating the new Parliament building, PM Modi stated that the number of seats and MPs in the Lok Sabha will increase, pointing to the possible delimitation exercise that could follow in the coming Monsoon session.
A delimitation of the constituencies that will elect members of the Lok Sabha, following population figures returned by the next decennial Census is to take place in 2026.
The Constitution provides for a periodic, Census-linked re-arrangement of constituencies to make their representation in the House tenable.
A population based delimitation exercise is envisaged in Article 82 of the Indian Constitution.
A delimitation freeze was put in position by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi through the 42nd amendment in 1976. This was extended by Prime Minister Vajpayee through the 84th amendment, which is to end in 2026.
• Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to represent changes in population.
• Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
• Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission.
• Although the first delimitation exercise was conducted in 1951, the Delimitation Commission Act was enacted in 1952.
• There was no delimitation after the 1981 and 1991 Censuses.