The debate over redrawing electoral boundaries has heated up again, especially with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin strongly opposing it. With elections around the corner, he is presenting himself as a key voice against the BJP-led central government, which he sees as favoring northern states. Meanwhile, the Union Home Minister has tried to reassure southern states that they won’t lose out in the process and will get a fair share if more seats are added.

JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING ON FAIR DELIMITATION

The inaugural meeting of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Fair Delimitation took place on March 22, 2025, in Chennai. This significant gathering included leaders from various States, notably four Chief Ministers.

Key Demands and Concerns

The JAC demands an extension of the freeze on parliamentary constituencies, aligning with a similar resolution passed in Tamil Nadu, suggesting a 30-year extension.
This freeze, historically implemented through the 42nd Amendment and extended via the 84th Amendment until 2026, prevents states with effective family planning from facing reduced representation.
The issue is particularly relevant in the South, but is not solely a regional concern.

Participants and Views

Hosted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, with attendance from Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, Punjab, and Odisha leaders.
Odisha’s former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, via online address, supported avoiding penalties for states with effective population control.
Proposal by K.T. Rama Rao to consider a State’s fiscal contribution in the delimitation process.

Recommendations and Steps

The Union government should initiate nationwide consultations and engage a wide range of parties before proceeding with the Delimitation Commission.
Importance of inclusive dialogue before the next Census is conducted.

CONCERNS OF THE SOUTHERN STATES

Concern	Explanation	Example
Fear of Losing Representation	Since Southern states have a lower population growth compared to the North, they might end up with fewer Lok Sabha seats if delimitation is done purely based on population.	Kerala might not get any additional seats, Tamil Nadu may see only a 26% increase, while Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh could get 79% more seats.
Gerrymandering	Southern states worry about unfair manipulation of electoral boundaries to benefit certain parties or groups, leading to distorted representation.	In Nepal (2015), the Terai region, despite having 50% of the population, got fewer seats than the hill regions because the constituency demarcation favored geography over population, benefiting the hill elite.
Threat to Federalism	More seats in Northern states could lead to higher central allocations per representative, increasing the financial burden on Southern states. Lower political representation may force them to accept policies they see as unfair.	Southern states may have less say in national policies despite contributing significantly to India’s economy.
Discouragement to Good Governance	States that have successfully controlled their population may be punished with fewer seats, whereas high-fertility states could get rewarded with more representation.	Some politicians have even suggested incentives for larger families, which goes against the idea of population control.
North-South Division	A growing sense of political and economic imbalance could lead to demands for greater autonomy or special status for Southern states, deepening regional divides.	Could lead to calls for special status or greater autonomy for South Indian states.
Skewed Resource Allocation	With more MPs from Northern states, they could have greater influence over central fund allocation, while Southern states might get fewer resources despite better governance.	The Finance Commission (FC) uses population as a key factor for fund allocation, which can disadvantage Southern states.
Weakening Regional Parties	A shift in political power towards the North could benefit national parties with a stronger base there, reducing the influence of Southern regional parties.	Regional parties in the South may lose influence, changing the political landscape of the region.

Way Forward

Fair Seat Distribution: No state should lose its current number of seats. Instead, a balanced approach should be used that considers not just population but also development, economy, and governance quality to ensure fair representation.
Fair Share of Funds: The way central funds are distributed should be revised so that Southern states don’t face financial losses. Strengthening inter-state councils can help in making policies more balanced.
Building Consensus: A constitutional review panel should be set up to address concerns about delimitation. People also need to be made aware that representation isn’t just about population size, but other factors too.
Stronger Role in Rajya Sabha: To make up for any potential loss of Lok Sabha seats, Southern states should get more representation in the Rajya Sabha.

#BACK2BASICS: FACTS RELATED TO DELIMITATION

Category	Details
About Delimitation	Delimitation is the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each state for the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. It is conducted by the Delimitation Commission, which is set up under an Act of Parliament.
Delimitation Commission	A high-powered three-member body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be challenged in court. – Comprises two Supreme Court or High Court judges, one appointed as chairman by the central government, and the Chief Election Commissioner as an ex-officio member. – Its orders are presented to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies but cannot be modified. – It has the powers of a civil court. – It has been set up four times till February 2024: 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002.
Rationale Behind Delimitation	Each state is divided into territorial constituencies in a manner that ensures the population-to-seat ratio is uniform across the state. – Ensures equal representation among different states and within constituencies of the same state.
Constitutional Provisions	– Article 82: Provides for readjustment of Lok Sabha seats and division of states into constituencies after every census. – Article 170: Defines the composition of Legislative Assemblies.
Related Amendments	Since population-based seat allocation benefits high-population states, amendments were made to balance representation and incentivize population control efforts. – 42nd Amendment Act, 1976: Froze Lok Sabha seat allocation and constituency division at the 1971 level until 2000. – 84th Amendment Act, 2001: Extended the freeze for another 25 years until 2026. – 87th Amendment Act, 2003: Allowed delimitation based on the 2001 census but did not change the number of seats or constituencies.
Judicial Review	In the Kishorchandra Chhanganlal Rathod Case (2024), the Supreme Court ruled that an order by the Delimitation Commission can be reviewed if it is found to be arbitrary and unconstitutional.