Context:
- Prime Minister announced proposed delimitation reforms along with increase in Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats.
- Assurance given that States with stabilised population will not lose representation.
Key Highlights:
- Government Initiative / Policy Details
- Proposal to increase size of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by ~50%.
- 33% reservation for women to be implemented before 2029 General Elections.
- Constitutional amendments planned in the reconvened Budget Session (April 16).
- Women’s reservation seats will be created as additional seats, not by reducing existing ones.
- Federal Balance & Representation Concerns
- Southern States (e.g., Kerala) raised concerns due to low fertility rates (TFR ~1.3).
- Assurance: No State will lose Lok Sabha seats post-delimitation.
- Representation to remain aligned with 1971 Census proportions.
- Legal & Constitutional Aspects
- Current law mandates delimitation after Census post-2026.
- Government proposes early delimitation via amendments for implementation before 2029.
- Stakeholders
- Union Government, State Governments, Election Commission, Women representatives, Political parties.
- Significance / Concerns
- Enhances women’s political participation.
- Addresses regional imbalance concerns.
- Raises issues of federal equity vs population-based representation.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Delimitation Commission:
- Constituted under Delimitation Commission Act.
- Task: Redrawing boundaries of constituencies based on population.
- Orders have force of law and cannot be challenged in court.
- 42nd Amendment (1976): Froze delimitation till 2001 Census.
- 84th Amendment (2001): Extended freeze till 2026.
- Women’s Reservation Bill (106th Constitutional Amendment, 2023):
- Provides 33% reservation in Lok Sabha & State Assemblies.
- To be implemented after delimitation.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Issues in Delimitation
- Conflict between population control success vs representation.
- Southern States penalised for effective demographic transition.
- Potential shift in political power towards high-population States.
- Constitutional & Governance Implications
- Balancing federalism and democratic representation.
- Need to reconcile “one person, one vote” vs regional equity.
- Expansion of legislature may improve representation and governance efficiency.
- Women’s Reservation
- Boosts inclusive governance and gender justice.
- Concerns regarding proxy representation and political readiness.
- Way Forward
- Adopt balanced formula combining population + development indicators.
- Ensure transparent delimitation process with stakeholder consultation.
- Strengthen capacity of legislative bodies post-expansion.
- Provide institutional support for women representatives.
UPSC Relevance:
- GS Paper 2: Polity, Federalism, Representation, Constitutional Amendments
- Prelims: Delimitation, Amendments, Women’s Reservation