India’s Delimitation Dilemma and Possible Ways Out, authored by Mohd. Sanjeer Alam and Suhas Palshikar examine the constitutional, political, and theoretical challenges surrounding the delimitation of electoral constituencies in India. Written in the context of a delayed Census and renewed calls to freeze the reallocation of Lok Sabha seats, the paper analyses why delimitation, an ostensibly procedural and constitutionally mandated exercise, has become a deeply contested political issue. It situates contemporary debates within broader questions of representative democracy, highlighting tensions between population-based apportionment, federal equity, and regional disparities. Drawing on comparative perspectives and India’s own institutional framework, the authors trace the evolution of delimitation practices, examine the persistence of malapportionment resulting from repeated deferrals, and assess their implications for political equality and constitutional legitimacy. Arguing that further postponement is untenable, the paper advances a two-step approach that recognises delimitation as necessary while reimagining it as an exercise that must explicitly incorporate federal considerations alongside the principle of equality of vote.

Note: The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Pune International Centre (PIC). Any remaining errors are the authors’ own.