Why in News:
The DMK on Thursday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s corruption remarks vis-a-vis the delimitation issue and said it is usual of the senior BJP leader to criticise the government of the day in the state
42nd Amendment: Deferred delimitation until 2026 to address regional apprehensions.
Articles 82 and 170: These articles of the Indian Constitution deal with delimitation.
Census and Delimitation: The Constitution mandates that after each Census, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats must be readjusted based on population.
Delimitation Trends -Historical Changes:
- First general election (1951-52) had 489 Lok Sabha seats. – Increased gradually; by 1977, Lok Sabha had 542 seats.
- Population Representation: – In 1951, 1 MP represented ~7.32 lakh people. – By 2024, it increased to ~27 lakh people per MP.
Concerns and Debates
Federalism and Population
- Proportionality: Debate over balancing population-based representation and federalism.
- Impact on Southern States: Concerns about adverse effects of population-based criteria for seat allocation.
- Public Policy Effects: Population control policies by the Centre influence state-level representation.
Potential Solutions and Discussions
Local Governance Strengthening local elected bodies could enhance representation and governance.
Population Adjustment Formula – Suggestion to introduce a divisor (e.g., Total Fertility Rate) to moderate population growth benefits in seat allocation.