Every Lok Sabha seat should have roughly the same number of people. But people move and populations grow. So the lines of constituencies must be redrawn from time to time. This work is called delimitation. It is done by a special body, the Delimitation Commission. Its orders cannot be challenged in any court. Exams ask about the Articles, the four commissions, the freeze on seats and the link with women's reservation. This post explains them in simple words. It ends with 15 previous year questions.
Key Points (Quick Revision)
- Delimitation means fixing the number and boundaries of constituencies on the basis of the latest census.
- Article 82 provides for readjustment of Lok Sabha seats after every census. Article 170 does the same for State Assemblies.
- Delimitation Commissions were set up in 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002.
- The orders of the Commission cannot be questioned in any court.
- The number of Lok Sabha seats is frozen on the basis of the 1971 census until the first census after 2026.
1. What is delimitation?
Delimitation is the act of fixing the limits of constituencies. It decides two things.
- How many seats each State gets in the Lok Sabha and in its own Assembly.
- Where the boundaries of each constituency lie, so that each seat has a similar population.
It also decides which seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, based on their share of the population.
The idea is simple. One person, one vote, one value. A seat with five lakh voters and a seat with twenty lakh voters would not be fair.
2. Constitutional provisions
| Article | What it says |
|---|---|
| Article 81 | Composition of the Lok Sabha; seats in proportion to population |
| Article 82 | Readjustment of Lok Sabha seats and constituencies after every census |
| Article 170 | Composition of State Legislative Assemblies and readjustment after every census |
| Articles 330 and 332 | Reservation of seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies |
| Article 329 | Bar on courts in electoral matters - delimitation laws and orders cannot be challenged |
After every census, Parliament passes a Delimitation Act. The Central Government then sets up a Delimitation Commission under that Act.
3. The Delimitation Commission
The Commission is a high-power body. It is set up by the Central Government but works independently.
Under the Delimitation Act, 2002, it has three members:
- A retired Supreme Court judge as chairperson.
- The Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner nominated by the CEC.
- The State Election Commissioner of the State concerned.
It also has associate members - five Lok Sabha MPs and five MLAs from each State - chosen by the Speakers. They help the Commission but do not vote and do not sign its orders.
The Commission publishes draft proposals, invites public objections and holds public sittings. Then it publishes the final order in the Gazette.
Its orders have the force of law. They cannot be challenged in any court. Even the Lok Sabha or a State Assembly cannot modify them.
4. The four Delimitation Commissions
| Year | Act | Based on census |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Delimitation Commission Act, 1952 | 1951 |
| 1963 | Delimitation Commission Act, 1962 | 1961 |
| 1973 | Delimitation Act, 1972 | 1971 |
| 2002 | Delimitation Act, 2002 | 2001 |
The 2002 Commission was headed by Justice Kuldip Singh, a retired Supreme Court judge. Its orders came into force in 2008, and the 2009 Lok Sabha election was held on the new boundaries.
There was no commission after the 1981 and 1991 censuses, because of the freeze explained below.
5. The freeze on the number of seats
Seats are given in proportion to population. States that controlled their population growth well would lose seats. States with fast growth would gain. To avoid punishing good family planning, the Constitution froze the number of seats.
- The 42nd Amendment, 1976 froze the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats per State on the basis of the 1971 census, until the census of 2001.
- The 84th Amendment, 2001 extended this freeze until the first census after 2026. It also allowed boundaries to be redrawn within States on the 1991 census.
- The 87th Amendment, 2003 changed the base for redrawing boundaries to the 2001 census.
So today, the number of seats per State is still based on the 1971 census, but the boundaries inside each State are based on the 2001 census.
The total strength of the Lok Sabha stays at 543 elected seats until the freeze ends.
6. Recent delimitation exercises
- Jammu and Kashmir. After the Union Territory was created in 2019, a Delimitation Commission headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai gave its final order in 2022. It increased the number of Assembly seats.
- Assam. The Election Commission of India carried out delimitation of Assam's constituencies in 2023 on the 2001 census, under Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
7. Delimitation and women's reservation
The 106th Amendment, 2023 reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women. It is often called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
The reservation will come into effect only after a delimitation based on the first census after the Act. So the next census and the next Delimitation Commission are closely linked to women's reservation.
The next delimitation is also expected to settle the number of seats per State, ending the long freeze. This is a sensitive issue, because States with slower population growth fear losing their share.
8. Previous year questions
- Which Article provides for readjustment of Lok Sabha seats after every census? – Article 82
- Which Article provides for readjustment of State Assembly seats after every census? – Article 170
- In which years were Delimitation Commissions set up in India? – 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002
- Who headed the Delimitation Commission of 2002? – Justice Kuldip Singh
- Can the orders of the Delimitation Commission be challenged in court? – No
- Who heads a Delimitation Commission? – A retired judge of the Supreme Court
- Which amendment froze the number of Lok Sabha seats on the basis of the 1971 census? – 42nd Amendment, 1976
- Which amendment extended the freeze on seats till the first census after 2026? – 84th Amendment, 2001
- On which census are the present boundaries of constituencies based? – 2001 census
- Which amendment changed the base for redrawing boundaries to the 2001 census? – 87th Amendment, 2003
- Do associate members of the Delimitation Commission have voting rights? – No
- Who appoints the Delimitation Commission? – The Central Government (President), under a Delimitation Act passed by Parliament
- Which amendment provides one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies? – 106th Amendment, 2023
- Which Article bars courts from interfering in electoral matters such as delimitation? – Article 329
- In which year did the J&K Delimitation Commission give its final order? – 2022
9. How to revise this topic
Start with the Articles: 81, 82, 170, 330, 332 and 329.
Next, fix the four commissions: 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002, and Justice Kuldip Singh for the last one.
Then learn the freeze: 42nd Amendment 1976 on the 1971 census, 84th Amendment 2001 till after 2026, 87th Amendment 2003 boundaries on the 2001 census.
Finally, link it to the 106th Amendment on women's reservation, which starts after the next delimitation.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
What is delimitation?
Delimitation is fixing the number and boundaries of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies on the basis of the latest census, so that each seat has a similar population. It also decides which seats are reserved for SCs and STs.
How many Delimitation Commissions has India had?
Four - in 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002. The 2002 Commission, headed by Justice Kuldip Singh, redrew boundaries on the 2001 census, and its orders came into force in 2008.
Can the orders of the Delimitation Commission be challenged?
No. Its orders have the force of law and cannot be questioned in any court. Even Parliament or a State Assembly cannot modify them.
Why is the number of Lok Sabha seats frozen?
To avoid penalising States that controlled population growth. The 42nd Amendment froze seats on the 1971 census, and the 84th Amendment extended the freeze until the first census after 2026.
How is delimitation linked to women's reservation?
The 106th Amendment of 2023 reserves one-third of seats for women, but the reservation takes effect only after delimitation based on the first census after the Act.
For more Polity topics in simple language, see our Election Commission of India, Parliament of India and Important Constitutional Amendments posts, or browse the Polity section. Preparing for a state PSC? Start with the UPPSC PCS guide or join the 100 Hour GS Course.