Delimitation post-2026 may drastically alter Lok Sabha and Assembly seat distribution. It could shift political power between states, sparking major national debate.
WHY DELIMITATION IS A LIMITATION?
The Central Government plans to conduct the Census soon, likely within a year. This timing is key because any Census after 2026 can be used for delimitation i.e. for redrawing and recalculating the seats of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas.
Thus, the 2029 general elections may be held based on the new composition.
What is Delimitation?
Delimitation is a constitutional mandate of readjusting the composition and boundaries of territorial constituencies of the Lok Sabha (House of People) and the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) in each state of India.
Article 82 of the Constitution of India mandates that, following each Census, the number and boundaries of territorial constituencies in every state shall be readjusted on the basis of latest census of the time.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Grants Centre Three Months for Delimitation in Northeast States
A plain reading of this constitutional mandate makes it clear that the Constituent Assembly intended for the number and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each state to be regularly readjusted based on the current population.
The purpose behind this provision is to ensure that the value of a vote is not influenced or distorted by outdated population data, but instead should be based on the most recent census figures.
What is the Constitutional Framework?
Article 81 of the Constitution of India mandates that, as far as practicable, the ratio between the number of Lok Sabha seats and the population of each state should be the same across all states.
The purpose of this clause is to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of seats among states based on their respective population figures.
For example, the state of Haryana, with an area of 44,212 sq. km and a population exceeding 25 million, has 10 Lok Sabha seats. In contrast, Arunachal Pradesh, which is nearly twice the size at 83,743 sq. km but has a population of only about 1.38 million, has just 2 Lok Sabha seats.
This divergence arises due to Article 81’s population-based representation formula, ensuring proportionality across states regardless of geographical size and other factors.
To understand why the Constitution requires the readjustment of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats after each census, we first need to understand what a census is. A census is a process of counting the number of people living in the country, along with collecting other important information.
According to the Census Act, 1948, the central government is empowered to carry out a census whenever it finds it necessary. However, since 1881, India has conventionally conducted a census after every 10 years.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Reserves Judgment on Plea for Delimitation in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
The last census was supposed to take place in 2021, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After that, the process was further delayed, due to the reluctance on the part of central government. Now, the central government is considering conducting the census sometime in the next year or so.
It is important to understand how conducting the census in or after 2026 is connected to the process of delimitation. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment froze the number and boundaries of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats until the first census conducted after the year 2000.
Later, in 2001, the 84th Constitutional Amendment extended this freeze until the first census conducted after 2026. As a result, the current delimitation is still based on data from the 1971 Census.
The reason behind this freeze was to ensure that states making progress in population control were not penalized by losing seats and, in turn, reducing their representation in the Lok Sabha.
Therefore, any census conducted after 2026 will be used to recalculate and redraw the number and boundaries of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats. As a result, the 2029 general elections may be held based on the new delimitation carried out using data from the 2026 Census.
Why Southern States are concerned?
The southern states of India have expressed strong reservations regarding the proposed exercise of delimitation, primarily due to concerns that it may adversely affect their political representation.
These states fear that their sustained efforts over the years to control population may now prove counterproductive and they may end up losing parliamentary seats, thereby diminishing their voice and influence in the Parliament.
The concerns raised by these states are rooted in the belief that relying solely on population figures to determine the composition of legislatures is both narrow and unjust. Such an approach fails to take into account several other equally, if not more, important indicators of a state’s contribution to the nation’s development.
For instance, the southern states collectively contribute nearly 30% of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), host more than 35% of the country’s manufacturing units, and have a significant share in the national export basket.
Furthermore, they play a critical role in ensuring agricultural sustainability, innovation, and advancements in healthcare and education. If the upcoming delimitation process based on the 2026 Census is executed purely on the basis of population size, there is a high likelihood that the number of seats allotted to the southern states will be reduced.
This potential reduction in representation could lead to an imbalance in the democratic structure and possibly fuel regional tensions, thereby deepening the perceived north south divide within the Indian federation.
A Rethink: Do we actually need more MPs and MLAs?
Moreover, India must seriously reconsider whether increasing the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) is truly necessary or beneficial. While there is often a call for greater representation, simply increasing the number of legislators could ultimately prove counterproductive.
An increase in the number of MPs and MLAs would require additional financial resources from the public exchequer for their accommodation, security, staffing, and other related expenses. This raises a fundamental question: Does the increase in the number of legislators effectively solve the pressing issues faced by the common citizen, or does it only add to the administrative burden?
An expansion in the number of legislators would also lead to an increase in the number of ministers in both the central and state governments. Currently, the Council of Ministers is limited to 15% of the total membership of the house, which directly impacts the management of resources.
More legislators mean more ministers, which further increases the demand for public resources to provide for their facilities, salaries, and office requirements. Instead of focusing on increasing the number of MPs and MLAs, India would be better served by improving representation at the local government level.
Local representatives, such as municipal councillors and panchayat members, have a closer connection with the daily lives and immediate concerns of citizens. They are directly involved in addressing local issues ranging from infrastructure to sanitation, healthcare, and education—issues that most directly affect the quality of life for the average citizen.
Strengthening local governance can lead to more effective solutions for common problems, as local representatives are often more responsive to their communities’ needs. Moreover, the role of Parliamentary Committees should also be enhanced to ensure more productive and quality discussions in the house.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Directs Punjab to Expedite Municipal Elections Amid Delimitation Debate
Thus, while increasing the number of MPs and MLAs might appear as a way to address the issues of representation, it is more critical to focus on strengthening the quality of governance at both national and local levels.
The real solution lies not in expanding the size of the legislatures but in ensuring that the system remains efficient, responsive, and accountable to the people it serves.
How it should be resolved?
Politically, the process of delimitation could foster an atmosphere of mistrust among political parties, potentially leading to allegations that the boundaries are being adjusted to favour one particular party.
It is important to emphasize that delimitation is conducted by the Delimitation Commission, whose decisions are final and not subject to judicial review.
There is an argument that states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh should receive adequate representation in Parliament based on their current population figures.
However, it is equally important to consider that parliamentary representation should not solely rely on population size, but rather be evaluated on a broader, all-India basis, taking into account other relevant factors too.
As a rapidly growing country with vast diversity, India should adopt a tailored approach to ensure fair and equitable representation for all states. The primary goal of any such measures should always be the welfare of the people, and not political advantage.
Moreover, taxpayers should not be burdened with the costs of increasing the number of MPs and MLAs without ensuring tangible benefits for the common citizen.
References:
The Constitution of India
42nd Amendment Act, 1976
84th Amendment Act, 2001
87th Amendment Act, 2003
The Census Act, 1948
Second Administrative Reforms Commission 6th Report
Haryana Government
Arunachal Pradesh Census 2011
State wise number of factories 2022-2023
Business Today, 28.10.2024
The Hindu, 28.02.2025
Click Here to Read More Reports On Delimitation