20 July 2024 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) Analyze the process of delimiting constituencies, highlighting its significance as well as the challenges.

(150 Words/10 Marks)

As per the Election Commission of India, delimitation means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body. The purpose of delimitation is to reflect the demographic changes in a state, Union Territory or at the national level.

The task of delimitation is assigned to a high-power body such as the delimitation commission or a boundary commission. In India, the delimitation process is conducted in following ways:

1. The parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after each decennial census. This is according to article 82 of the Constitution.

2. The 42nd Constitutional amendment froze delimitation till 2001. The 84th amendment extended the freeze till next census after 2026. Constitutional boundaries in states are to be adjusted based on the 2001 census as per the 87th amendment.

3. After enacting the Delimitation Act, the Union government constitutes a delimitation commission. It is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge. Members are drawn from Election Commission of India and state election commissions.

4. The commission examines population data and existing constituencies. It holds meetings with all the stakeholders and submits its recommendation to the government.

5. The draft report of the Delimitation Commission is published in the Gazette of India, the official gazettes of the states concerned and at least two vernacular publications seeking feedback from the general public.

6. With needed changes, the final report is published. It becomes the basis of all future elections till the next delimitation commission is established.

The importance of delimitation can be seen from:

1. It provides equal representation to equal segments of a population. It re-emphasizes the principle of political quality, i.e., “one vote, one value.”

2. It corrects distortion in size of constituencies by accounting for demographic changes. Factors of uneven growth of population between constituencies and intra-state and inter-state migration are accounted for.

3. It upholds the interests of weaker sections through reservation of seats as per the proportion of SC/ST population as per article 330 and article 332.

4. It provides for increase in the number of elected representatives for effective representation.

Delimitation has the following associated challenges:

1. Due to differences in population growth between states, representation for states with effective family planning programmes will decrease. It disincentivizes population-control policies in the states.

2. The new delimitation exercise could create a north-south divide in the country, stoking regionalism.

3. The freeze on delimitation, for socio-political reasons, since 1971 erodes political justice and undermines democratic representation.

4. As per experts, delimitation process in Sensitive areas may aggravate security risks. E.g., delimitation in North-East.

Political representation in 2022 based on population data of 1971 is unjustified in a modern India having onthe- go, data-based informed governance. An expert committee must be constituted to pave consensus on the impending delimitation.