Bharatvaarta Why South India is Scared of Delimitation | Goutham Desiraju(Prof. IISc & Author)
Mar 29, 2025
Goutham Desiraju, a Professor at the Indian Institute of Science and author, dives into the contentious topic of delimitation in India. He discusses the urgent need for equal voter representation and the implications of demographic shifts on political power dynamics. The historical context of language as a political tool during colonial rule is explored, shedding light on contemporary linguistic politics. Desiraju advocates for data-driven electoral reforms that foster inclusivity, aiming to create a balanced and prosperous democracy by 2047.
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Delimitation and Democracy
- Delimitation ensures equal voter representation, a cornerstone of democracy, by adjusting constituency sizes.
- India's delimitation freeze, instigated by Indira Gandhi in 1976 during the Emergency, disrupted this process, creating current imbalances.
Migrant Workers and Delimitation
- Bengaluru and Mumbai's migrant worker populations highlight a delimitation issue: people live and work in one place but vote elsewhere.
- This disparity underscores the need for regular delimitation, which most democracies conduct every 6-10 years.
Political Alliances and Delimitation Freeze
- The Vajpayee government extended the delimitation freeze due to political alliances prioritizing party interests over equal representation.
- This 50-year freeze undermines democracy, rendering votes in oversized constituencies insignificant.