Delimitation In India Flashcards
Why in news ?
The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission on May 5 notified the new boundaries, names and number of Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, paving the way for the first-ever Assembly elections in the Union Territory that was carved out of the erstwhile State of J&K in 2019.
A day before its term was to end, the Commission, chaired by Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai and including Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and J&K State Election Commissioner K.K. Sharma as ex-officio members, met to finalise its order and later issued a gazette notification. The delimitation was carried out based on the 2011 Census and other considerations like geographical features and access
The new Assembly would have 90 seats, 47 in Kashmir and 43 in Jammu, which was an increase from the earlier 83, with six of the additional seats being in Jammu and one in Kashmir. The commission said in its statement that for the first time in J&K, nine seats have been reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Six of the ST reserved seats were in Jammu region and three in the Kashmir Valley. Seven seats had been reserved for Scheduled Castes.
Delimitation in brief
Delimitationliterally meansthe act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituenciesin a countryto represent changes in population.
How delimitation is carried out?
UnderArticle 82,the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
UnderArticle 170,States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
Once the Act is in force, theUnion governmentsets up a Delimitation Commission.
Thefirst delimitationexercise was carried outby the President (with the help of the Election Commission)in1950-51.
The Delimitation Commission Actwas enacted in1952.
Delimitation Commissions have been set upfive times — 1952, 1963, 1973 ,2002 and 2019under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 2002 and 2019.
Delimitation commisison
The Delimitation Commission isappointed by the Presidentof India and works incollaborationwith theElection Commission of India.
Composition:
Retired Supreme Court judge
Chief Election Commissioner
Respective State Election Commissioners
Functions:
To determine the number and boundaries of constituencies to make population of all constituencies nearly equal.
To identify seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,wherever their population is relatively large.
In case of difference of opinion among members of the Commission, theopinion of the majority prevails.
The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law andcannot be called in question before any court.
