Delimitation explained: Why Stalin wants people to have more kids in TN

MK Stalin has sparked a delimitation debate, urging Tamil Nadu couples to have kids -fearing a loss of political power due to slower population growth. What's at stake?

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has reignited the debate on delimitation by urging a newlywed couple to plan a family early, linking it to securing Tamil Nadu’s advantage in the upcoming exercise.

 

This raises a question — why are southern states apprehensive about delimitation? To understand this, we need to first understand what delimitation is, how it works, and why it has become a contentious issue.

 

What is delimitation?

 

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and state assembly constituencies to reflect demographic changes. It ensures that electoral representation aligns with population shifts and determines how many seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), reported India Today.

 

 

The principle behind delimitation is to maintain equitable representation, preventing densely populated regions from being underrepresented while ensuring sparsely populated areas are not overrepresented. The core philosophy is the democratic ideal of “one person, one vote, one value.”

 

Why and how is delimitation done?

 

The process of delimitation is mandated by Articles 82 and 170 of the Indian Constitution, which require the number of parliamentary and assembly seats to be revised based on the most recent census. The task is executed by the Delimitation Commission, a body established through a law passed by Parliament.

 

However, delimitation is not merely a mechanical exercise of redrawing maps—it has deep political implications. Since seats are allocated based on population, states with higher population growth could gain more seats, while those with lower population growth could see their representation shrink.

 

History of delimitation in India

 

India has conducted delimitation exercises three times—in 1951, 1961, and 1971—before freezing the process to encourage population control.

 

Growth of Lok Sabha seats over time

Census year	Lok Sabha seats	Population
1951	494	361 million
1961	522	439 million
1971	543	548 million

 

In 1976, the government, amid an aggressive family planning campaign, froze delimitation for 25 years through the 42nd Amendment Act to prevent states with higher population growth from gaining an unfair advantage. This freeze was extended again in 2001 by the 84th Amendment Act, postponing delimitation until 2026.

 

Today, the 543 Lok Sabha seats and 250 Rajya Sabha seats remain based on 1971 census figures, even though constituency boundaries and SC/ST reservations were adjusted in 2001.

 

The upcoming delimitation and its potential impact

 

The 2031 Census will likely guide the next delimitation exercise, redrawing boundaries and altering the number of parliamentary seats allocated to states. However, with the 2021 Census delayed, discussions on delimitation have already begun in anticipation of the 2026 deadline.

 

How could delimitation change representation?

 

Delimitation can result in increased, decreased, or adjusted constituencies without necessarily changing the total number of parliamentary seats. However, projections suggest that if the current population trends are followed, the number of Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 753.

 

Current representation of Southern states

 

Currently, southern states hold 129 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats:

 

• Telangana: 17 seats

• Andhra Pradesh: 25 seats

• Kerala: 20 seats

• Tamil Nadu: 39 seats

• Karnataka: 28 seats

 

This accounts for 24 per cent of Lok Sabha representation.

 

Projected representation after delimitation

 

If the total number of Lok Sabha seats increases to 753, the South’s share could drop to 19 per cent.

 

• Telangana: 20 seats

• Andhra Pradesh: 28 seats

• Kerala: 19 seats

• Tamil Nadu: 41 seats

• Karnataka: 36 seats

 

In contrast, northern states—especially Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan—are expected to gain significant seats:

 

• Uttar Pradesh: From 80 to 128 seats

• Bihar: From 40 to 70 seats

• Madhya Pradesh: From 29 to 47 seats

• Maharashtra: From 48 to 68 seats

• Rajasthan: From 25 to 44 seats

 

This shift is at the heart of the southern states’ concerns.

 

Tamil Nadu’s stance on delimitation

 

Chief Minister MK Stalin has called delimitation an issue that affects all of South India. He argued that states that have successfully implemented population control and economic development should not be penalised with reduced representation.

 

“It is because a situation has now arisen, according to which only a higher population would ensure more MPs as the delimitation exercise would be on the basis of population," Stalin was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.  "Tamil Nadu paid attention to population control and succeeded and that was the reason for the state’s plight today," he added.

 

“I will not tell you to not have children hastily, have children immediately; but give them beautiful Tamil names,” he said, while attending the wedding function of a DMK district secretary at Nagapattinam.

 

Why Are Southern states opposing delimitation?

 

1. Reduced political influence

 

If delimitation is based purely on population, the South’s parliamentary strength could shrink from 24 per cent to 19 per cent, while Hindi-speaking states would gain about 60 per cent representation.

 

2. Economic contribution vs representation

 

States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are among India’s largest contributors to direct tax revenue, but they receive only 30 per cent of their contributions in return. Meanwhile, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh receive 250-350 per cent more than what they contribute. Southern states argue that representation should factor in economic contribution, not just population size.

 

3. Women’s Reservation Act & SC/ST reservations

 

The Women’s Reservation Act, which mandates 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, will also influence delimitation. Additionally, SC/ST seat reservations will be reviewed, adding complexity to the process.