Delimitation and Its Implications in India

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has highlighted significant concerns regarding delimitation, particularly for the southern states of India. This issue has become a major political topic.

Constitutional Context

• Article 82: Mandates the readjustment of Lok Sabha (LS) seats after every census.
• Historically, Parliament revised the LS strength in 1952, 1962, and 1972 through the Delimitation Act.
• In 1976, a 25-year freeze on the LS seats was implemented to prioritize population control.
• The Constitution (84th Amendment) Act, 2002, extended the freeze until 2026.

Impact of Delimitation

Post-2026, without a new amendment, the number of LS seats will be reconsidered based on the latest census.

• States like Tamil Nadu and other southern states could lose significant representation despite successful population control measures.
• A recent report indicated states like Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, and others could lose LS seats.

Historical Population and Representation Trends

• 1950: Population of 359 million with 500 LS members.
• 1967: Population increased to 522 million with 521 LS members.
• 1976: Population rose to 637 million; LS expanded to 543 members.
• Present: Population at 1.45 billion, still 543 LS seats.

The population has quadrupled since 1950, but LS seats have increased by less than 10%.

Future Considerations

• UN reports project India's population to peak at 1.7 billion by 2060 before declining.
• There is debate on whether increasing LS seats is necessary when the population growth is stabilizing.

Political and Social Repercussions

• Union Home Minister assured delimitation will adjust "pro rata" but provided no specifics.
• MK Stalin has initiated a Joint Action Committee for a nationwide dialogue on delimitation.

This topic is crucial as the freeze on delimitation is about to end, necessitating inclusive political discussions for future decisions.