Delimitation Commission of India

Syllabus subtopic: Statutory, Regulatory and various Quasi-judicial Bodies.

Prelims and Mains focus: about the move and its significance; about Delimitation Commission of India: composition and mandate

News: About six months after the State of Jammu and Kashmir was split into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, the government moved to start the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in J&K.

Background

The Election Commission had held a meeting in August 2019 to discuss the delimitation process and enrolled two officials who had worked on previous delimitation exercises.

J&K Reorganisation Act

As per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was passed by Parliament on August 5, 2019 and came into effect on October 31, the Union Territory of J&K will have an Assembly, while Ladakh will not.

The Act further said the number of seats in the Assembly of J&K would be increased from 107 to 114 after delimitation, on the basis of the 2011 Census.

The Election Commission was ready to provide secretarial assistance to the Delimitation Commission once appointed, as it is required to do.

What is meant by delimitation?

Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body.

The job of delimitation is assigned to a high power body. Such a body is known as Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission.

About Delimitation Commission of India

The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.

These orders come into force on a date to be specified by the President of India in this behalf. The copies of its orders are laid before the House of the People and the State Legislative Assembly concerned, but no modifications are permissible therein by them.

In India, such Delimitation Commissions have been constituted 4 times – in 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002.

According to the Delimitation Commission Act, 2002, the Delimitation Commission appointed by the Centre has to have three members:

a serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court as the chairperson, and
the Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner nominated by the CEC, and
the State Election Commissioner as ex-officio members.

Source: The Hindu

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