New Delhi, April 5: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday said that delimitation of constituencies is essential to ensure effective representation and development, but cautioned that the exercise must not result in disproportionate political advantage or be influenced by partisan considerations.
In a post on X, Chaturvedi, a former Rajya Sabha member, highlighted the growing burden on Members of Parliament, stating, “Delimitation is a necessity, Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha end up having to spread themselves too thin over 6 populous assemblies, which also impacts development focus.”
She further pointed out that attempts to undertake delimitation have been repeatedly deferred over the years and stressed the need for a fair process.
“Every attempt to bring in delimitation has been postponed over the years. As long as delimitation of every constituency does not happen to give disproportionate benefit to the ruling side and without political interference or to score political points, it is something that needs to be done,” she added.
The issue of delimitation has once again gained prominence in political discourse as the constitutional freeze on the readjustment of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats, which has been in place based on population figures from the 1971 Census, is expected to end after the first Census conducted post-2026.
The Census has commenced as of April 1, 2026, and updated population data will be available by 2027. Once this data is finalised, delimitation — involving redrawing constituency boundaries and reallocating seats among states — will become due under the law.
The debate over delimitation is also closely linked to the implementation of the Women’s Reservation law, formally known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which mandates a 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Its rollout is contingent upon the completion of delimitation following the next Census.
Chaturvedi, a former Rajya Sabha member, has consistently supported the legislation but has emphasised the importance of its timely and effective implementation rather than allowing it to remain a distant commitment.
Recent discussions within the government, including proposals for amendments and the possibility of convening a special session of Parliament, have explored options to either delink or expedite certain aspects of the process.
–IANS
