One MP, 25 Lakh People, and You’re Still Waiting for a Flyover?

Impact of Delimitation on one’s daily life

There is no denying it: India is a crowded affair. The railway coaches are crowded, and so are the tables in a breakfast joint on a Sunday morning. Well, the accurate term is overpopulation — also a characteristic complaint of Indians themselves. Sure, one can only imagine the plight of a math teacher trying to contain a classroom, a.k.a fish market of 50. But does anyone think about a Member of Parliament (MP)  who represents 25 lakh people today?

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral constituencies, which consequently readjusts the number of seats each state has in the Lok Sabha, legislative assembly, municipality and panchayat. But here’s the thing: this isn't just some technical rejig of political boundaries—it’s about efficient administration, development, resources, and you.

Today the 140 crore Indian statistic has increased by approximately 268.4% from 38 crore in 1952. However, the number of seats in Lok Sabha has only increased by 11% from 489 to 543 during the same period. India’s late former PM Indira Gandhi froze delimitation in 1975 during the National Emergency when India’s population stood at 62.31 crores. After the Parliament further passed the 84th Constitutional Amendment in 2000, these seats have remained the same for nearly 5 decades, to be precise.

Back in 1977, one MP represented around 10.11 lakh people. Today that average has shot up to around 25 lakh per MP, and in some states like Bihar, it’s over 33 lakh per MP. Imagine trying to manage the needs of 33 lakh people with a ₹5 crore annual MPLADs (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) fund, representing the whole lot equitably without making a mistake or failing parts of the region. Yeah—good luck with that.

Yet, what has all the opposition to delimitation been about? So far, delimitation has come across as a politically explosive process. If South Indian states have maintained fertility under 2.0 while North Indian states like Bihar stand at 3.0, the opposition has argued that states struggling to control their population need to be held accountable. 

However, population isn’t just about birth rates—it’s also shaped by migration patterns. Take Kerala, for example: by 1977, it had 1.35 lakh emigrants, accounting for 63% of all Indians migrating to the Gulf. By 1980, that figure had risen to 2.08 lakh. Fast forward to 2023, and the Kerala Migration Survey estimates 22 lakh emigrants from the state. And it’s not just Kerala—there are an estimated 5 lakh emigrants from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra combined. Clearly, migration flows complicate the story beyond simple population control measures.

But the delay in delimitation comes at a cost—equity, development, and fair governance. After all, delimitation is about how well your area is represented, how many roads get built, how many schools and hospitals come up, and how much your MP can realistically do for your constituency.

Overstretched MPs simply can’t meet the diverse demands of bloated constituencies nor pay attention to the range of constituent issues. Your concerns may go unheard—not due to apathy but because of overload. A fair delimitation process would enhance what governance and elected representatives are meant to actually do. It takes away the possibility of using lack of delimitation as an excuse for underperformance

Let’s take note, the Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah assured that no parliamentary constituencies in southern states will be reduced due to the upcoming delimitation exercise. There are two ways this process could unfold: Redistribute the existing 543 seats based on updated population numbers or increase the total number of seats to 848 according to proportional distribution. Considering how the new parliament can accommodate 888 members, an increase in the LS seats does not seem too far-fetched. Another way the government could avoid political conflict is also by increasing vidhan sabha seats to increase state performance and representation following delimitation while it considers increasing  PC seats however, proportionally. This can aid the balance between states across india in Lok Sabha, as well as avoid possible regional vs national party disparity during the general elections ‘

Either way, some states will gain. Others could feel shortchanged. But something’s got to give.

Written by Poorvi S