Now Reading: Meghwal says delimitation must follow 2026 constitutional deadline
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Meghwal says delimitation must follow 2026 constitutional deadline
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The claim that delimitation is simply a constitutional formality leaves out the federal bargain behind the freeze. The opposite claim, that any population-based exercise automatically punishes southern states, also needs tested numbers rather than political rhetoric. The government must publish the proposed seat formula, census basis and safeguards before seeking consent. The decisive question will be how many seats each state gains or loses under the final plan.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, livelaw.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
