India’s authentic constitutional scheme envisaged redrawing the map of Lok Sabha seats after each Census
| Picture Credit score: Vishal Mathew 10099@Mumbai
A nation state, like a household, is designed on the premise that its assets and obligations are collectively shared by its members in an equitable method agreed upon by the group. The stronger people and teams are anticipated to assist the weaker ones; a progressive taxation policy is one manifestation of that strategy.
When there may be important disparity throughout areas and social teams, this association comes underneath pressure and desires innovation. India is going through a governance problem ensuing from the regional divergence in wealth and inhabitants.
That’s the set off for the continued debate between States and social teams on delimitation (linked to political illustration) and tax devolution (linked to the creation and sharing of wealth and assets).
India’s authentic constitutional scheme envisaged redrawing the map of Lok Sabha seats after each Census, accounting for variations in inhabitants. When it was observed that populations in some areas weren’t stabilising as quickly as others, this decadal delimitation was frozen in 1976. It was postponed for 25 years, till 2001, after which once more for one more 25 years till 2026, by way of constitutional amendments.
The idea in suspending delimitation was that by then the event trajectories of a majority of the areas would converge. This didn’t occur from 1976 to 2001, and even after 2001. In 2026, India would have accomplished 50 years with out inter-State reapportionment of constituencies. With the 2021 Census not performed, we don’t know what the regional demographic traits are.
Inhabitants dimension, composition, and high quality are linked to wealth creation and sharing. The graphs present the divergence between numerous areas by way of inhabitants dimension and financial efficiency. Composition and high quality usually are not analysed. To measure financial efficiency, we use the relative per capita income level — the ratio of a State’s per capita Internet State Home Product to the all-India per capita Internet Nationwide Product, expressed as a proportion.
Charts 1, 2 and three plot States’ relative per capita earnings ranges in 1961, 2001 and 2024, respectively. The vertical axis exhibits relative earnings ranges, whereas the horizontal axis exhibits every State’s share in India’s inhabitants. In 1961, the relative earnings ranges of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka had been corresponding to these of U.P., Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
Chart 1 plots States’ relative per capita earnings ranges in 1961
By 2001, the relative income levels in Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, and all of the southern States had risen to match these of Punjab and Haryana — States that had a head begin because of the Inexperienced Revolution. In distinction, the degrees of U.P., Bihar, and M.P. declined. The newly fashioned States carved out of them too had low earnings ranges, together with Odisha and Rajasthan.
Chart 2 plots States’ relative per capita earnings ranges in 2001
By 2024, the earnings hole between the economically superior and lagging States had widened additional. Chart 3 plots States’ relative per capita earnings ranges in 2024
A number of exceptions stood out: the relative earnings ranges of West Bengal and Punjab dipped, whereas that of Uttarakhand improved. Notably, throughout this era, the inhabitants share of the economically lagging Hindi heartland States grew, whereas the share of many superior States — particularly in western and peninsular India — was secure or declined.
If delimitation had been to occur based on the present inhabitants, States with a greater financial efficiency may face a slide of their political energy to States with a decrease financial efficiency. To border this dialogue as a north-south divide is inaccurate. This debate is about regional disparities. Addressing them should be a nationwide precedence.
Supply: Relative per capita earnings is sourced from the stories by the Financial Advisory Council to the PM. Inhabitants knowledge is from census. Voters knowledge is from Election Fee
vignesh.r@thehindu.co.in
varghese.g@thehindu.co.in
Revealed – April 04, 2025 07:00 am IST
