Women’s quota: Govt for House at 850, delimitation on 2011 Census

Weather ePaper Today’s Paper Journalism of Courage Home ePaper India Cities UPSC Premium Entertainment Politics Sports World Explained Opinion Business Lifestyle Tech Subscribe Sign In TrendingMumbai NewsDelhi NewsChandigarh NewsBangalore NewsLucknow News Advertisement function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript() { if (window.jQuery) { // jQuery is loaded, include your script jQuery(document).ready(function($) { // Your existing script for checking window width if (window.innerWidth) var page_w = window.innerWidth; else if (document.all) var page_w = document.body.clientWidth; if (page_w > 1024) { $(".add-left, .add-right").show(); } else { $(".add-left, .add-right").hide(); } }); } else { // jQuery is not loaded, check again after 0.2 seconds setTimeout(checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript, 200); } } // Initial call to the function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript(); NewsIndiaWomen’s quota: Govt for House at 850, delimitation on 2011 Census Women’s quota: Govt for House at 850, delimitation on 2011 Census Bill sets stage for delimitation panel with civil court’s powers Written by: Deeptiman Tiwary, Damini Nath6 min readNew DelhiApr 15, 2026 04:29 AM IST The Bill also amends the marginal heading of Article 82 from “Readjustment after each Census” to “Readjustment of constituencies”, and removes the requirement of readjusting the number of Lok Sabha seats in states after every Census. Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT The government Tuesday circulated three Bills to pave the way for fresh delimitation based on “such Census, as Parliament may by law determine, of which the relevant figures have been published”, likely the 2011 count; raise the strength of Lok Sabha from the current 543 to 850 members; and operationalise one-third reservation of seats for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. The legislative package comprises the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025. It builds on the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, which had introduced women’s reservation but linked its implementation to a future Census and delimitation exercise. At the core of the move is the removal of the decades-old constitutional freeze on readjustment of seats, which had pegged representation to the 1971 Census. The new amendment enables delimitation based on the “latest published census figures” as may be notified by Parliament, effectively clearing the way for a comprehensive redistribution of seats in line with current population patterns. The amendment caps the strength of elected members from states at 815 and from Union Territories 35, significantly increasing the size of Lok Sabha and altering the arithmetic of parliamentary majorities. The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to amend Article 81 of the Constitution, which pertains to the composition of Lok Sabha. The amendment proposes to increase the total strength to 850, up from the current limit of 550. As of date, Article 81 (2) and (3), freeze Lok Sabha seats as per the 1971 Census and Assembly seats as per the 2001 Census, “until the relevant figures for the first Census taken after the year 2026 have been published”. In normal course, this would have meant the 2031 Census. But the 2021 Census was delayed. The Bill also amends the marginal heading of Article 82 from “Readjustment after each Census” to “Readjustment of constituencies”, and removes the requirement of readjusting the number of Lok Sabha seats in states after every Census. Similarly, it makes amendments to the Articles pertaining to state Assemblies and reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, changing the basis from the 2001 Census to “such Census” that Parliament decides by law to use. The accompanying Delimitation Bill lays down the institutional framework for this exercise. It provides for a Delimitation Commission headed by a Supreme Court judge, with the Chief Election Commissioner and State Election Commissioners as members, and gives it powers equivalent to a civil court. The Commission will be tasked with allocating seats across States, redrawing constituency boundaries, and determining reservation for SCs, STs and women. Apart from the latest Census figures, the Delimitation Commission, like in the past, is required to ensure, as much as possible, that all constituencies are geographically compact areas. The “physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facilities of communication and public convenience” are also to be taken into account. Crucially, the exercise will also trigger the implementation of the women’s reservation law passed in 2023. One-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, including within SC and ST quotas, will be reserved for women, with constituencies to be rotated after each delimitation cycle. The reservation is valid for a period of 15 years, with the possibility of extension by Parliament. In the statement of objects and reasons to the Constitution amendment Bill, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal cited the time that the next Census will take. “While the freeze of seats on the basis of population figures of the year 1971 census served an important policy purpose, the country’s demographic profile has since undergone substantial changes, as reflected in the population figures of the latest published census, including significant inter-State and intra-State population shifts, rapid urbanisation and migration, and disproportionate growth in certain regions, resulting in wide disparities in the population and the constituencies… The next census and the consequential delimitation exercise thereafter will take considerable time and thus, delay the effective and dedicated participation of women in our democratic polity,” he wrote on April 11. The UT Bill makes the relevant changes to the laws for Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry. The sequencing is politically significant. The 2023 amendment had drawn criticism from Opposition parties for deferring implementation by linking it to delimitation after a fresh Census. By advancing the delimitation framework, the government has now moved to operationalise the quota, a reform that has remained stalled for decades. At the same time, the move reopens a sensitive political question: the redistribution of seats across states. Since the freeze was introduced in the 1970s to incentivise population control, states that successfully reduced fertility rates, largely in the south, have retained their share of seats despite slower population growth. A fresh delimitation based on updated Census data would ideally increase the representation of states in the Hindi heartland, where population growth has been higher, potentially reducing the relative weight of southern states. The government, however, has promised that the proportional share of states in the composition of Parliament as it stands today would not be disturbed. It will now be incumbent upon the delimitation commission to come up with a formula that can keep the promise. The Bills also incorporate procedural safeguards, including the publication of draft delimitation proposals, inviting objections, and holding public hearings before finalisation. Once notified, the commission’s orders will have the force of law and cannot be challenged in court, a provision aimed at ensuring finality but one that may itself invite scrutiny. Opposition parties have broadly supported women’s reservation but remain wary of the broader implications of the delimitation exercise. Apart from concerns over seat redistribution, there are demands for an additional quota for women from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), which is not provided for in the current framework. Beyond the immediate legislative changes, the impact on electoral politics is expected to be substantial. An expanded House will raise the threshold for a majority, potentially reshaping coalition dynamics. The rotation of women-reserved seats could disrupt entrenched political strongholds, forcing parties to rethink candidate selection and grassroots strategies. Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram