# Meghwal says delimitation must follow 2026 constitutional deadline 2026-08-13T17:35:40+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said delimitation is a constitutional mandate and must be conducted after 2026. Speaking to ANI, he criticised Opposition leaders opposing the exercise, saying they carry the Constitution but do not read its provisions. The Constitution freezes the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among states until after 2026. Delimitation redraws constituency boundaries and allocates seats using population figures. The freeze began with the 42nd Amendment in 1976, based on the 1971 Census, partly to ensure that states controlling population growth were not penalised. The 84th Amendment extended it in 2001. LiveLaw reports that a population-based exercise could shift representation towards northern states, while southern states fear losses. It cites research estimating a possible northern gain of 40 to 50 Lok Sabha seats. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - livelaw.in Tags: Arjun Ram Meghwal, Constitution, delimitation, Lok Sabha seats, population freeze, Southern states Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delimitation-after-2026-is-constitutional-mandate-says-law-minister/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delimitation-after-2026-is-constitutional-mandate-says-law-minister/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.