Why 543 Should Remain 543, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• A debate is ongoing regarding whether the Lok Sabha should be enlarged beyond its current 543 seats during the upcoming delimitation exercise.
• The article argues against increasing the number of seats, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the existing federal balance and quality of parliamentary deliberation.
• The current freeze on Lok Sabha seats, based on the 1971 Census, was extended by the 84th Amendment until after the first Census post-2026.
• The government has reportedly suggested a 50% pro-rata increase in seats, which critics argue would widen the numerical gap between states.

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Detailed Insights:

• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976 froze the inter-state allocation of Lok Sabha seats based on the 1971 Census to avoid penalizing states successful in family planning.
• This freeze established a federal compact, ensuring states that stabilized population would not lose political voice.
• Enlarging the Lok Sabha could weaken the quality of deliberation, as parliamentary time does not expand with the number of Members of Parliament.
• International examples like the U.S. House of Representatives and Switzerland's National Council show that legislatures do not necessarily grow with population.
• The article suggests that delimitation can occur within states to redraw constituency boundaries based on updated population figures without increasing the total number of seats.
• Expanding Vidhan Sabhas (State Legislative Assemblies) is proposed as a solution to address increased accessibility needs due to population growth, without disturbing the inter-state balance in Parliament.
• Women's reservation, now linked to delimitation, can be implemented within the existing 543 seats, as one-third of the current Lok Sabha is approximately 181 seats.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Delimitation: The process of redrawing boundaries of electoral constituencies to ensure equal representation.
• Prorogation: The formal ending of a parliamentary session by the President, distinct from adjournment sine die.
• Federal Compact: An unwritten agreement or understanding between the Union and states, particularly regarding the distribution of political power.
• Vidhan Sabhas: The State Legislative Assemblies in India, responsible for law-making at the state level.