The Last Delimitation Exercise in India

The last delimitation exercise in India was conducted in 2007.

What is Delimitation?
Delimitation is the process of redrawing electoral boundaries and constituencies to ensure fair representation in the democratic system. It aims to provide equal political representation to all sections of society based on the population data.

Background
The delimitation exercise in India is carried out by the Delimitation Commission, which is a high-powered body appointed by the President of India. The commission consists of a retired judge of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of a High Court as the Chairperson and the Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner as the ex-officio member.

Objective
The main objective of delimitation is to readjust the boundaries of electoral constituencies to ensure that each constituency has approximately the same number of voters. This helps in achieving the principle of "one person, one vote" and prevents any discrimination based on population.

Previous Delimitation Exercises
1. 1952: The first delimitation exercise took place in 1952 after the first general elections in India. It aimed to allocate seats in the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) and State Legislative Assemblies based on the population data of 1951.

2. 1963: The second delimitation exercise was conducted in 1963 after the 1961 Census. It aimed to re-adjust the constituencies based on the population growth and changes in the demographic patterns.

3. 1973: The third delimitation exercise was carried out in 1973 after the 1971 Census. It aimed to further readjust the boundaries to maintain the principle of equal representation.

4. 2002: The fourth delimitation exercise was supposed to be conducted in 2002 after the 2001 Census. However, it was postponed due to the freezing of the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies until 2026.

The Last Delimitation Exercise (2007)
The last delimitation exercise in India was conducted in 2007. It was based on the 2001 Census data and aimed to re-adjust the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly constituencies. The exercise was carried out to ensure equitable representation based on the changes in population patterns.

Conclusion
Delimitation plays a crucial role in maintaining the democratic principles of equal representation and fair elections. The last delimitation exercise in India was conducted in 2007, and the next one is likely to take place after the 2031 Census to account for changes in population.