OPSC OAS 2024 PrelimsPolityQuestion 19
Solved previous year question from the OPSC OAS/OCS 2024 Preliminary Examination (General Studies), with the official answer key and a detailed explanation.
Question
Consider the following statements about delimitation and its implications in India:
- Delimitation is the process of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and state assembly constituencies to represent changes in population.
- The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and its orders have the force of law and cannot be challenged in any court.
- The primary objective of delimitation is to ensure that all constituencies have roughly equal populations, thereby upholding the principle of "one person, one vote."
- The current delimitation exercise is based on the 2001 Census, with the next one mandated after the first census following 2026.
Which of the above statements are correct?
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Answer & Explanation
Correct answer: (A) 1, 2 and 3 only
- Statement 1 is correct: Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly constituencies based on population changes to ensure fair representation.
- Statement 2 is correct: The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India. Its orders have the force of law and are final. They cannot be challenged in any court of law.
- Statement 3 is correct: The primary objective of delimitation is to ensure equal representation by making constituencies have roughly equal populations, upholding the principle of "one person, one vote."
- Statement 4 is incorrect: While the current delimitation is based on the 2001 Census, the statement is not entirely accurate about the next delimitation. The 84th Constitutional Amendment Act froze the allocation of seats among states until the first census conducted after 2026. The next delimitation will be BASED ON the first census after 2026, not simply mandated "after" it. Additionally, only the boundaries within states were readjusted based on the 2001 Census, while the number of seats allocated to each state has remained frozen since 1971 and will continue until the first census after 2026.
| Additional Important Information for Examination: – The Delimitation Commission consists of a retired Supreme Court judge as chairperson, the Chief Election Commissioner, and State Election Commissioners. – Delimitation has been carried out four times: 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002-2008. – The 42nd Amendment Act 1976 froze the number of seats until 2001, later extended by the 84th Amendment Act 2001 until the first census after 2026. – The number of Lok Sabha seats has remained at 543 since 1976 based on the 1971 Census. – Southern states fear losing representation in the next delimitation due to successful population control measures. |
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