‘It has to be done’: Law minister's delimitation push comes with Constitution jibe at Opp

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday insisted that delimitation is a "constitutional mandate" and argued that it must occur post-2026, as stipulated by the Constitution. Addressing the Opposition's objections to delimitation, Meghwal took aim at them, stating that while they "carry the Constitution around with them", they fail to properly read its contents. He further explained that Article 82 of the Constitution mandates the freezing of Lok Sabha seats until 2026, after which delimitation must be carried out.

Meghwal's remarks come in response to concerns primarily from southern states, where a population-based redistribution of seats could potentially diminish their relative representation. Delimitation, as defined, refers to the process of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and state assembly constituencies based on population figures.

This process is mandated under Article 82 of the Constitution and is to be conducted following every census. The primary objective of delimitation is to ensure a roughly equal population distribution among constituencies, although the geographical sizes of these constituencies may vary considerably. Each state is assigned a specific number of seats in Parliament and its respective assembly based on the population data used for delimitation purposes.