What is the Delimitation Commission?
The Delimitation Commission of India is a high-powered, independent authority whose orders have the force of law. It is appointed by the President and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. Its composition typically includes:

• A retired Supreme Court judge (Chairperson).

• The Chief Election Commissioner and respective State Election Commissioners.

• Associate members (sitting MPs/MLAs nominated by Speakers) from each state/UT undergoing delimitation, who advise but cannot vote.

The Commission’s functions and powers include: redrawing constituency boundaries so each has roughly equal population; allocating seats to states as per law; and identifying SC/ST-reserved seats proportionally. Its final orders are published in the official Gazette and cannot be challenged in any court. Thus, once the Commission’s report is notified, its delineations are binding for the next elections.

Delimitation Process and Criteria: Key steps and principles in the delimitation exercise are:

• Census Data: The Commission uses the latest census (the 2027 census) as the primary basis. It calculates an ideal population per constituency (total population divided by total seats) and adjusts boundaries to approach this average.

• Geography and Administration: In redrawing boundaries, the Commission respects geographic contiguity (constituencies should be geographically compact) and existing administrative units (districts/blocks), to maintain cohesive units. It also considers “socio-economic realities” and community interests to avoid arbitrarily splitting communities.

• Reservation of Seats: Based on census data, delimitation of constituencies with significant Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe populations are earmarked for reservation. The number of SC/ST seats in each state is fixed in proportion to their population share, and their locations are chosen so that reserved constituencies reflect concentrations of SC/ST populations.

• Draft Recommendations and Feedback: The Commission publishes its draft delimitation scheme for each state and invites objections and suggestions from the public, political parties, state governments, etc.. Public hearings may be held on contentious changes. After considering feedback, the Commission finalizes its report.

• Final Order: The final delimitation order is published in the Gazette, after which the new boundaries become effective in the subsequent general elections.

These procedures ensure transparency and allow stakeholders (political groups, civil society, affected communities) to participate. For example, the Delimitation Commission of India typically consults the Election Commission of India and state authorities to reconcile technical and political concerns.