The unjustified haste and extra-ordinary interest on the part of Modi-Shah duo to push through the ‘Delimitation Exercise’ is another ingenious fascist move in continuation of the latest conversion of Election Commission as an extension of the Executive, superimposition of Hindi, ‘one nation one election’, etc. As of now, the number of parliamentary constituencies from each state is based on the 1971 Census and to maintain the proportion of Lok Sabha representatives from various Indian states, there has been no change in the number of electoral constituencies since 1973, though there have been wide variations in population growth across states during 1971 -2024. After the first freeze of seats in 1971, the second freeze came in 2001 which is to expire in 2026. The original purpose of the extension was to extend and encourage reduction in fertility rates in the Hindi-speaking North Indian States which failed in population control measures compared to Southern states with reduced fertility rates.
Therefore, as pointed out by Southern states, if delimitation exercise is done solely based on population, their representation in parliament will be reduced and the entire balance of power will go against them, and it will be the death knell of Federalism in India. As per existing law, since delimitation has to be carried out on the basis of population, Southern states which over the years have deliberately reduced population growth will be penalised by it. That’s why the demand for taking other criteria along with population is strongly put forward by proponents of federalism such that the proportion of Lok Sabha representatives from states can be kept intact.
However, instead of taking the Southern states into confidence and amicably settle the issue through a broad consensus, the moves on the part of the fascist regime so far are unilateral and arbitrary. For instance, if delimitation exercise is carried out based on the 1971- 2024 population growth rate, then four states comprising UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan will have an increase of 155 Lok Sabha seats, while five South Indian states, viz., AP, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, together will only have an increase of 35 Lok Sabha seats. Again, if delimitation is done taking the existing population as such, then two states, UP and Bihar, will have more MPs than that from the entire South India. What required is a credible guarantee on the maintenance of existing proportion of MPs for states while redrawing boundaries of constituencies.
However, the fascist regime at the centre, which is adept at cunningly using every issue as an opportunity, is bent on utilising the Delimitation exercise to suit it’s anti-federal, unitary agenda even as it is indefinitely postponing the 2021 Census under various excuses. To be precise, under RSS neofascism, the Delimitation exercise, like other constitutional, legal and administrative moves, is another well-thought out fascist stategy aimed at demolishing Indian federalism and superimpose a pan-Indian majoritarian project undermining the multilingual, multicultural, multi-ethnic and ‘multi-national’ character of India.
We appeal to all democratic, secular and progressive forces and all well-meaning sections to rise up to resist and defeat the inherent fascist agenda in this hasty Delimitation exercise that foretells the doom of Federalism in India.
P J James
General Secretary
CPI (ML) Red Star
New Delhi
28.02.2025
