UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Delimitation with old data can upset electoral framework’
Q1. Considering the constitutional scheme of delimitation in India, exactly how many Articles of the Constitution directly and primarily mandate Parliament to enact a law for the readjustment of seats/constituencies after every Census (one for the Lok Sabha and one for State Legislative Assemblies)?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Q2. With reference to the constitutional framework governing delimitation of constituencies in India, consider the following statements:
1. Article 82 requires Parliament to enact a law for readjustment of the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among the States after every Census.
2. Article 170 provides for the readjustment of territorial constituencies within a State's Legislative Assembly after every Census.
3. The proviso to Article 170(3) freezes the total number of Assembly seats until the first Census taken after the year 2026.
4. Article 329(a) empowers the High Courts to review the validity of a delimitation order.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- Article 82 requires Parliament to enact a law for readjustment of the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among the States after every Census.
- Article 170 provides for the readjustment of territorial constituencies within a State's Legislative Assembly after every Census.
- The proviso to Article 170(3) freezes the total number of Assembly seats until the first Census taken after the year 2026.
- Article 329(a) empowers the High Courts to review the validity of a delimitation order.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. In the plea decided by the Supreme Court in 2025 seeking parity in delimitation, what is the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh (as fixed after the 2014 bifurcation) that the petitioner sought to have increased?
Q4. In its 2025 decision rejecting the plea for delimitation in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, what did the Supreme Court hold to be the correct legal position regarding Section 26 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014?
- A. It is subject to Article 170, so the readjustment of total Assembly seats can occur only after the first Census following 2026
- B. It overrides Article 170 and permits immediate delimitation for the two successor States
- C. It mandates delimitation to be completed within five years of bifurcation
- D. It transfers delimitation powers for the two States exclusively to the State Election Commissions
Q5. The 2022 delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was carried out by which of the following bodies?
- A. The Election Commission of India acting in its administrative capacity
- B. A Delimitation Commission constituted under the Delimitation Act, 2002
- C. The Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission
- D. A parliamentary standing committee on the Reorganisation Act
Q6. The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission whose final order took effect in 2022 was chaired by which of the following?
- A. Retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai
- B. Retired Justice Kurian Joseph
- C. The then Chief Election Commissioner in ex-officio capacity
- D. Retired Justice Ranjan Gogoi
Q7. With reference to the Delimitation Commission as structured under the Delimitation Bill, 2026, consider the following pairings of member and role:
1. Chairperson — a person who is or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, appointed by the Central Government.
2. Election Commission member — the Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner nominated by the CEC.
3. State-level member — the Governor of the State concerned.
4. Census input — the Commission uses the latest published Census on the date it is constituted.
Which of the pairings given above are correctly matched?
- Chairperson — a person who is or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, appointed by the Central Government.
- Election Commission member — the Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner nominated by the CEC.
- State-level member — the Governor of the State concerned.
- Census input — the Commission uses the latest published Census on the date it is constituted.
- A. 1, 2 and 4 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. With reference to the freezing of seat allocation and delimitation in India, consider the following statements:
1. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) froze the allocation of seats on the basis of the 1971 Census.
2. The freeze under the 42nd Amendment was initially to last till the first Census taken after the year 2000.
3. The 84th Constitutional Amendment (2002) extended the freeze on total seat numbers till the first Census after 2026.
4. The delimitation orders under the Delimitation Act, 2002 were finalised in 2008 on the basis of the 2001 Census.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) froze the allocation of seats on the basis of the 1971 Census.
- The freeze under the 42nd Amendment was initially to last till the first Census taken after the year 2000.
- The 84th Constitutional Amendment (2002) extended the freeze on total seat numbers till the first Census after 2026.
- The delimitation orders under the Delimitation Act, 2002 were finalised in 2008 on the basis of the 2001 Census.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes to raise the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha to how many seats?