Delimitation

• The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, or Women Reservation Bill links women’s reservation to the contentious delimitation process.
• It states that women’s reservation “shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first Census taken after the commencement of…” this Bill.

ABOUT DELIMITATION

• Delimitation means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body.
• Article 82 of the Constitution provides for the readjustment of the constituencies (number and boundaries) of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies after every Census.
  • Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
• The 42^nd Amendment froze this delimitation exercise until the first Census after 2000 is published.
• In 2001, this was further extended for 25 years. So now, delimitation would happen on the results of the first Census after 2026.
• The delimitation exercise will require a consensus among states.
• Article 368(2) of the Constitution requires that any change to the representation of States in Parliament will have to be cleared by a special majority of not less than two-third members of that House present and voting, and needs to be ratified by at least half of the states.

DELIMITATION COMMISSION

• The Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
• Composition:
  • Retired Supreme Court judge
  • Chief Election Commissioner
  • Respective State Election Commissioners
• The Delimitation Commission in India is a high-power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.