“Delimitation” & “One Nation One Election” Exercises

PWOnlyIAS February 15, 2024 03:47 1192 0

Recently, Tamil Nadu Assembly ‘unanimously’ adopted two resolutions against the Union government’s ‘One Nation One Election’ proposal and the proposed delimitation after 2026.

“Delimitation” & “One Nation One Election” Exercises

Context:

Recently, Tamil Nadu Assembly ‘unanimously’ adopted two resolutions against the Union government’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal and the proposed delimitation after 2026.

Delimitation

Tamil Nadu Assembly Passes Resolution Against ‘Delimitation” and ‘One Nation One Election’

Resolution on the delimitation exercise: If delimitation will be held for “unavoidable reasons”, the population of 1971 census should be the criteria for carrying out the process and not the one scheduled in 2026.
Southern States Concern: Delimitation issue holds resonance across southern states, which are also protesting against being “discriminated” against in distribution of funds.

About Delimitation

It is the process by which the limits or boundaries of a country’s territorial constituencies are rejigged to reflect changes in population.

The redrawing of these boundaries is based on the recent census.
Delimitation Commission or Boundary Commission: Body tasked with carrying out the exercise.

Constitutional Provision Related to Delimitation
- Article 82: Parliament is to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census. Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up the Delimitation Commission.
- Commission is supposed to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies in a way that the population of all seats, so far as practicable, is the same.
- The Commission is tasked with identifying seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
- Article 170: States get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.

Delimitation Commission

It is an independent body to carry out delimitation.
It works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India without any executive influence.
Appointment: By President of India under provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act.
Composition: A retired Supreme Court judge, the Chief Election Commissioner of India and respective State Election Commissioners.
Constitutional provisions: The Commission’s orders are final and cannot be questioned before any court as it would hold up an election indefinitely.
Such Commissions Have Been Constituted Four Times in India:
- 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952,
- 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962,
- 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and
- 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002.
There Was No delimitation After 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses.
- However, the 2002 Act did not make any changes in total Lok Sabha seats or their apportionment between various states.
It is Done For Three Main Reasons

- To ensure a fair division of geographical areas.
- To ensure equal population representation from every seat.
- To ensure that the principle of “One Vote One Value” is maintained.

Reason for Infrequent Delimitation

Constitutional Ratio Principle: The Constitution aims for consistent Lok Sabha seats per population ratio across states, aiming for equitable representation.
Fear of Disproportionate Representation: States that didn’t emphasize population control might gain more seats, creating fears of disproportionate representation.
Amendments Postponing Delimitation: To allay these fears, the Constitution was amended in 1976 to suspend delimitation until 2001.
- Another amendment postponed this until 2026, hoping that the country would achieve a uniform population growth rate by this time.

About One Nation One Election (Simultaneous Election)

It refers to the practice of holding multiple elections for various levels of government (such as national and state) at the same time or on a synchronized schedule.
One Nation One Election would mean that the voters will cast their vote for electing members of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies on a single day, at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be).

History of One Nation One Election (Simultaneous Election) in India

Delimitation

Pros and Cons of One Nation One Election (Simultaneous Election): Implications For India

Advantages of One Nation One Election

Disadvantages of One Nation One Election

Cost Reduction: Simultaneous elections save money by eliminating the need for separate election cycles.
Focus on Long-Term Governance: Simultaneous elections encourage politicians to prioritize long-term governance over short-term gains.
Increased Voter Turnout: Voters are less fatigued, as they only participate once every few years, potentially boosting voter turnout.
Level Playing Field: Smaller parties can compete more effectively with larger ones due to reduced overall election expenses.
Efficient Use of Security Forces: Synchronizing elections allows security forces to be deployed more efficiently for other purposes.

Synchronization Challenges: Synchronizing elections in a diverse democracy like India can be difficult, particularly if governments lose confidence in their assemblies.
Constitutional and Federalism Issues: Implementing simultaneous elections may require constitutional changes and could potentially challenge the federal nature of the Indian political system.
Impact on Voter Behavior: Voters may confuse national and state issues in simultaneous elections, blurring the distinctiveness of state-level politics.
Impact on Regional Parties: Simultaneous elections may favor larger national parties, potentially disadvantaging regional parties.
Accountability Concerns: Fixed terms without the threat of recall could reduce government accountability and encourage autocratic tendencies.

Constitutional Amendments Needed for Implementing One Nation One Election in India

The policy of One Nation One Election is not possible in the current framework of the constitution, so we require some essential amendments in the constitution to implement this policy:

Article 83 of the Constitution: Duration of Houses of the Parliament, we are required to fix the time and the tenure of the house of people.
Article 85 of the Constitution: Sessions of the Parliament, prorogation and dissolution, there must be some guidelines for the dissolution of session; it must not be done on vague and ambiguous reasons.
Article 172 of the Constitution: Duration of the state legislature.
Article 174 of the Constitution: Sessions of the Parliament, prorogation, and dissolution.

Also Read: Delimitation In J&K

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Frequently Asked Questions

It is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral constituencies based on changes in population, ensuring fair representation and adherence to the principle of "One Vote One Value."

It occurs after every census, typically resulting in the formation of a Commission to oversee the redrawing of electoral boundaries.

It aims to ensure a fair division of geographical areas, equal population representation in constituencies, and the maintenance of the principle of "One Vote One Value."

It comprises a retired Supreme Court judge, the Chief Election Commissioner of India, and respective State Election Commissioners, appointed by the President of India.

No, the decisions of the Commission are final and cannot be questioned before any court, as this could delay elections indefinitely.

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“Delimitation” & “One Nation One Election” Exercises

Context:

Tamil Nadu Assembly Passes Resolution Against ‘Delimitation” and ‘One Nation One Election’

About Delimitation

Constitutional Provision Related to Delimitation

Delimitation Commission

Such Commissions Have Been Constituted Four Times in India:

There Was No delimitation After 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses.

It is Done For Three Main Reasons

Reason for Infrequent Delimitation

History of One Nation One Election (Simultaneous Election) in India

Pros and Cons of One Nation One Election (Simultaneous Election): Implications For India

Advantages of One Nation One Election

Disadvantages of One Nation One Election

Constitutional Amendments Needed for Implementing One Nation One Election in India

Frequently Asked Questions

What is delimitation?

How often does delimitation occur in India?

What are the objectives of delimitation?

What is the composition of the Delimitation Commission?

Can the decisions of the Delimitation Commission be challenged in court?

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