What is Delimitation?

  • Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral constituencies in a country. This is typically done after the completion of each census in order to reflect changes in population distribution and demographics. Delimitation is necessary in order to ensure that each electoral constituency has roughly the same number of voters, as mandated by the principle of “one person, one vote”.

Objective of Delimitation

  • The objective of delimitation is to ensure that the representation of different regions and communities in the legislative bodies is proportional to their population. This helps to ensure that all citizens have an equal say in the governance of their country and that the interests of all communities are taken into account.

How are Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats divided among the states?

  • In India, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats are divided among the states on the basis of their population. The number of seats allocated to each state is determined by the population size, with larger states receiving more seats and smaller states receiving fewer seats. This is in line with the principle of proportional representation, which aims to ensure that each state is represented in proportion to its population.

Which states have highest number of LS/RS seats?

  • The states with the highest number of Lok Sabha seats are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar, which have 80, 48, and 40 seats respectively. The states with the highest number of Rajya Sabha seats are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar, which have 31, 19, and 16 seats respectively.

Why is DMK opposed to the system

  • The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in India has opposed the system of delimitation in the past, arguing that it has resulted in an unequal distribution of seats among the states and has disadvantaged certain regions. The party has also argued that delimitation has been used to manipulate the electoral process and favor certain political parties.

Lecture Video