Implications of increasing the size of the Lok Sabha, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The government has introduced three Bills concerning delimitation and women's reservation, expected to be discussed in the extended Budget session from April 16-18.
• The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill proposes increasing the Lok Sabha size from 550 to 850 seats.
• The number of seats per state will be based on population proportion, using a Census determined by Parliament.
• One-third of seats will be reserved for women after delimitation, valid for 15 years.
• The Delimitation Bill establishes a commission using the latest published Census (2011) for the next delimitation.

Detailed Insights:

• The removal of the freeze on seats post-2026, using the 2011 Census, will alter the relative share of Lok Sabha seats for each state.
• States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu may lose seats, while Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh are expected to gain.
• The amendment grants Parliament the power to decide on delimitation periodicity and the Census to be used, potentially centralizing decision-making power.
• With the Lok Sabha size increasing and no change to the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha's influence in joint sessions and presidential elections will grow.
• An expanded Lok Sabha could increase the Council of Ministers' size to a maximum of 122, impacting cabinet dynamics.
• A larger Lok Sabha may reduce individual MPs' opportunities to participate in parliamentary discussions due to lottery-based selection processes.
• While countries like the U.K. have large legislatures with robust committee systems, the Indian Parliament lags in committee referrals for Bills.
• State legislatures could also see increased sizes based on the Delimitation Commission's decisions, potentially leading to oversized assemblies.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Delimitation: The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries to ensure equal representation based on population.
• Census: A periodic count of a country's population, gathering demographic and socio-economic data.
• Constitutional Amendment: A modification to a country's constitution, requiring specific procedures for approval.