Delimitation after 2027, redrawing power in India, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Delimitation, the redrawing of electoral maps to reflect population changes, is due after Census 2027.
• Inter-State distribution of Lok Sabha seats has been frozen since 1976, based on the 1971 Census.
• The 84th Amendment in 2001 extended this suspension until the first census after 2026.
• If seats were allocated purely by population, Uttar Pradesh would rise from 80 to 151 seats, and Bihar from 40 to 82.
• Options for delimitation include extending the freeze, expanding the Lok Sabha, using a weighted formula, strengthening the Rajya Sabha, bifurcating Uttar Pradesh, and implementing phased redistribution.

Detailed Insights:

• The upcoming delimitation exercise is expected to be the most significant redrawing of political power since Independence, redefining seat distribution in the Lok Sabha.
• Fertility rates have diverged across States, with southern and western States achieving below-replacement levels while northern States continue to record higher population growth.
• Allocating seats purely based on population would lead to southern States losing political weight despite their success in controlling population growth.
• Expanding the Lok Sabha without addressing proportional distribution may not alleviate concerns of southern States, as larger States would still gain bigger shares.
• Strengthening the Rajya Sabha as a federal chamber could involve restoring domicile requirements and adopting a system of equal seats per State, balancing federalism.
• Bifurcating Uttar Pradesh into multiple States could neutralize its excessive weight in the Lok Sabha, providing a federalism solution rather than just an administrative one.
• The Delimitation Commission should include experts in demography, constitutional law, and federal studies, with transparency, public hearings, and oversight being essential.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Delimitation: The process of redrawing electoral boundaries to reflect changes in population.
• Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.
• Constitutionalism: Adherence to a system of constitutional government.