Q. How many delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?

  • One
  • Two
  • Three
  • Four

Answer: (d) Four

Delimitation:
  • Delimitation means the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each State for the Lok Sabha and Legislative assemblies.
    • It also includes determining the seats to be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in these houses.
  • This ‘delimitation process’ is performed by the ‘Delimitation Commission’ that is set up under an act of Parliament.
    • Article 82 and Article 170 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to readjust the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of States respectively, after every census.
    • Accordingly, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Commission Act and an independent high-powered panel known as the Delimitation Commission is constituted to carry out the exercise of delimitation.
    • Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.
      • There was no Delimitation Commission Act after the 1981 and 1991 census.
      • The first delimitation exercise was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.
      • The next Delimitation Commission will be set up after 2026.
Delimitation Commission
  • The Delimitation Commission is a high-powered committee entrusted with the task of drawing and redrawing of boundaries of different constituencies for state assembly and Lok Sabha election.
  • It is appointed by the President and works in collaboration with the Election Commission.
  • The Commission consists of – 
    • A retired or working Supreme Court Judge (chairperson)
    • Election Commissioner
    • Concerned State Election Commissioners
  • The Commission’s orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.
  • The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot effect any modifications in the orders.
1952First delimitation exercise post-independence.1951 census
1963First delimitation exercise after the reorganisation of states in 1956. Only single-seat constituencies1961 census
1973Increase in Lok Sabha seats from 522 to 5431971 census
2002No changes in Lok Sabha seats or their apportionment between the various states2001 census
2026Following the 84th amendment to the Constitution, in 2002, Delimitation is to be done after 2026, based on the first census conducted after 2026.
Delimitation in Northeast States (NES)
  • As per Section 8A of RPA 1950, President can order delimitation exercise to be carried out
    in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
    • Delimitation exercise has not been carried out for last 51 years in these states.
    • Last delimitation exercise (2002-08) kept out these NES due to apprehensions over use of 2001 Census.
    • Also, Presidential Order of 2020, which allowed for conducting delimitation exercises in these 4 states as well, was restricted to Jammu and Kashmir only.