Problem of delimitation

Problem of delimitation - 

• risk of some ‘unsuccessful’ States becoming the ‘owners of an imperial centre’, imperilling ‘successful’ States

परिसीमन की समस्या - 

• कुछ 'असफल' राज्यों के 'साम्राज्यवादी केंद्र के मालिक' बन जाने का खतरा, जिससे 'सफल' राज्यों को खतरा हो सकता है

Federalism 

is part of the inviolable basic structure of the Constitution of India. The Indian Union is a federal union. States are the federating units. 

Most States find their basis in language. Supreme Court of India has termed States as political units and not arbitrary administrative units.

What is delimitation? 

Article 82 of the Indian Constitution requires that the number of Lok Sabha seats per State is recalibrated after each Census by the Delimitation Commission, in accordance with the population. 

Delimitation last happened 

based on the 1971 census, when in 1976, the Indira Gandhi government suspended the delimitation process for 25 years, until 2001. It was further suspended for another 25 years by the A.B. Vajpayee government, and would lapse by 2026, unless another amendment is introduced. 

Effects 

The freezing of delimitation was done in order not to disincentive States who is  effective in population control. 

However, the Narendra Modi government has given hints about undertaking fresh delimitation before the elections in 2029.

Delimitation as a threat

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 

is a demographic indicator that estimates the average number of children a woman gives birth to during her reproductive years. 

Even today, TFR of non-Hindi States such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal is in the 1.6-1.8 range, below the replacement level of 2.1. 

The TFR of Hindi heartland States such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, at about 3.5, is well above the replacement level. 

प्रतिस्थापन स्तर प्रजनन क्षमता 

जनसंख्या के स्तर को बनाए रखने के लिए महिलाओं को जन्म देने वाली बच्चों की संख्या. विकसित देशों में, प्रतिस्थापन स्तर प्रजनन क्षमता को प्रति महिला औसतन 2.1 बच्चों की आवश्यकता के रूप में माना जाता है 

decreasing non-Hindi State seats in the Lok Sabha 

This has been true for many decades and thus by now, a recalibration via delimitation will mean a radical decrease in the proportion of non-Hindi State seats in the Lok Sabha. 

For example, if delimitation takes place, the proportion of seats in Parliament for the

•  southern States - would be reduced from 25% to 17% 
• Hindi heartland States - where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has electoral dominance would increase from 40% to 60%.

Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu 

already receive only about 30% of the total funds that contribute as direct taxes, 

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh 

receive between 250% and 350% of their overall contribution. 

 2011 Census instead of the 1971 Census 

The decision of 16th Finance Commission to include the 2011 Census instead of the 1971 Census to devolve funds to States will be even more discriminatory to developed States.

Fostering discrimination

decreased non hindi population 

Since 1947, the population proportion of Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu have all decreased 

population proportion of one language, Hindi

 has massively increased, from 36% to nearly 43%; 43% is not too far away from the majority. 

 The proportion of GDP and revenue from non-Hindi States is much greater than their population percentage while the proportion of GDP and revenue from Hindi States is lesser than their population percentage.

Post delimitation

 States such as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is dominant, will have their Stake holdership Index nearly double, whereas States such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu where the BJP has one to zero seats will see it being reduced by 30%-40%.

discrimination

Non-Hindi States 

that have implemented population control measures successfully will lose a say in Union affairs. 

Non-Hindi States that contribute a majority of GDP, resources, revenue and taxes will lose say in how their monies are used. 

Possible solutions

There can be many solutions

 First not freeze for another  25 years  

just follow what Mrs Gandhi and A.B. Vajpayee did and extend the freeze by another 25 years and defer to a future generation.

Second, permanently freeze delimitation 

as far as the India-wide redistribution of seats across States is concerned.

Third, go through with delimitation as envisaged

But supplement it 

•  Concurrent List is abolished in favour of an expanded State list,
•  all residual powers vested to the States 
• and large-scale transfer of subjects are made from the Union list to the State list,
•  keeping external defence, external affairs and currency in Delhi’s hands. 
• This would balance delimitation with decentralisation, softening the majoritarian blow inherent in delimitation.

Fourth increase the number of seats in each State 

India is a unique experiment. It is not an ethnic-linguistic majoritarian empire like Russia or China. It is not a mono-linguistic nation state such as Bangladesh and Thailand. 

WAY FOTWARD 

India is like Africa or Europe, a tapestry of languages, ethnicities, cultures, civilisations and faiths, but with a crucial difference. 

It is bound in an inseparable political Union born in the crucible of anti-imperialist struggle with one, unified voice when speaking to others.

 India is the grandest experiment of plurality in modern human history. Majoritarianism and partisanship cannot be allowed to undo it and threaten its unity. History will not forgive us.

SOURCE THE HINDU