Population study experts and academicians have suggested a consensus-based approach to arrive at an amicable solution for delimitation in India, instead of maintaining the status quo on the number of Lok Sabha seats for another 30 years beyond 2026 — as resolved at an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday.

According to S. Irudaya Rajan, Chair at the International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), Kerala, the debate on delimitation should go beyond southern States.

“Even some States in the north, and West Bengal are likely to lose representation. States that have had a Total Fertility Rate of less than two for many years are likely to lose seats.”

Mr. Rajan was against maintaining the status quo, and delaying delimitation. “Why do you want to pass it to the next generation? How long can this be postponed? What appears to be the challenge with respect to delimitation will continue to be so even after 30 years,” he told The Hindu.

According to him, delimitation was not a political problem, but a demographic one. “It is neither between two political parties nor a group of States and the Centre. If there is delimitation, there will be losers and there will be gainers. States that are likely to lose seats and the ones that are likely to gain should form two separate groups and, along with the Election Commission, come together to discuss and find a viable formula,” he added.

According to P. Sakthivel, Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Annamalai University, the number of seats in Parliament should be increased as the status quo had not been changed for nearly five decades. “Parliament is the mirror of the nation. The population of India, according to the 1971 Census, was close to 55 crore. Now it is more than double this figure. As per the World Population Prospects of the United Nations, India’s population in 2024 is projected at 145 crore..,” he added.

Mr. Sakthivel suggested that a methodology be drawn to consider socio-economic indicators, besides population, to incentivise States that have implemented population control measures successfully. Each State should be allocated the same percentage of seats, as done now, even if there was an increase in the overall number of seats. “That would be a fair justice to federalism,” he added.

Mr. Rajan too suggested formulating a methodology to incentivise States that had implemented population control measures. “For example, the value of a vote of an MP from these States could be increased to more than 1. It should be done not based on a single parameter, but on a statistical composite index,” he added.