- Parliament may increase Lok Sabha seats to 850, prioritizing women’s reservation.
- New delimitation based on 2011 Census aims fair population representation.
- States with higher population growth could gain more parliamentary seats.
The Centre is set to begin a fresh delimitation exercise to redraw constituencies and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to as many as 850, with the twin objectives of ensuring one-third reservation for women in Parliament and accounting for population growth over the decades.
A new Delimitation Commission will be constituted to carry out the exercise, which is likely to be completed before the next General Elections in 2029.
The last such exercise was conducted in 2002, when only constituency boundaries were revised while the total number of seats remained unchanged.
Three Bills To Drive The Process
On Wednesday, the government unveiled three bills, including the Constitution Amendment Bill and the Delimitation Bill, to initiate the process of creating new seats and redefining existing boundaries.
The bills are scheduled to be introduced during an extended Budget Session of Parliament from April 16 to 18.
The delimitation exercise will be based on the 2011 Census, as the ongoing census is expected to take another year to conclude.
What Is Delimitation And Why It Matters
Delimitation is a periodic exercise undertaken to redraw constituency boundaries and allocate seats to ensure fair representation based on population changes.
The first such exercise was conducted in 1952 based on the 1951 Census, allocating 494 Lok Sabha seats. Subsequent exercises took place in 1963 and 1973.
In 1973, based on the 1971 Census, the number of seats was fixed at 543, when India’s population stood at 54.8 crore.
The 2002 exercise only redefined boundaries without altering the total number of seats.
With the population having doubled since 1971, based on the 2011 Census, a redistribution is now being proposed.
Sharp Variation In Voter Size Across Constituencies
Significant disparities exist in voter representation across constituencies.
While some constituencies in both North and South India have 2–3 million voters, smaller regions such as Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, and Ladakh have 47,972, 1,02,260 and 1,59,949 voters, respectively.
Proposed Seat Distribution And Gains
Under the government’s proposal, the Lok Sabha strength could increase to 850 seats, with 815 allocated to states and 35 to Union Territories.
The delimitation exercise will also operationalise one-third reservation for women, with reserved seats to be allotted on a rotational basis.
Among states, Uttar Pradesh is projected to see its seats rise from 80 to 140, Bihar from 40 to 73, Rajasthan from 25 to 48, and Madhya Pradesh from 29 to 51.
Maharashtra is also among the major gainers.
Tamil Nadu’s seats may increase from 39 to 51, Kerala from 20 to 23, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana combined from 42 to 59, Odisha from 21 to 29, and West Bengal from 42 to 64.
NDA sources told PTI that the final seat count will be determined by the Delimitation Commission, and the figure of 850 represents only the upper limit.
North-South Divide At The Centre Of Debate
The proposed exercise has triggered concerns over a potential North–South divide.
Northern states, with higher population growth, are expected to gain more proportionate seats, while southern states fear a reduction in their relative share despite contributing significantly to the national GDP.
Southern states have argued that population alone should not determine representation.
Opposition Flags Concerns, Calls For ‘Hybrid Model’
Opposition parties and leaders from southern states have raised objections, calling the move a “conspiracy” that could “alter political map”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a public letter, said democracy would become stronger if the 2029 elections are held with women’s reservation in place. Parties such as Shiv Sena, BSP and AIADMK have supported the bills.
However, opposition leaders have called for a “Hybrid Model”.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin accused the Centre of attempting to punish states that implemented population control and warned of “protests with full force”.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, in an open letter, cautioned that a “pro-rata” increase to 850 seats would penalise such states and suggested a model factoring in economic contribution and development.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh termed the bill “mischievous” and “extremely ill-timed”, alleging it could harm parliamentary democracy.
Left leaders also raised concerns, with CPI(M) leader John Brittas calling the bills a “death warrant for federal India”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut warned that the exercise could change the country’s political map and trigger unrest.
Gerrymandering Concerns Surface
Political activist Yogendra Yadav also flagged concerns over gerrymandering, stating that the move is “basically to facilitate early delimitation and to expand the size of Lok Sabha to 815”.
