UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Implications of increasing the size of the Lok Sabha

Q1. With reference to the constitutional freeze on Lok Sabha seats, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

1. The 42nd Amendment (1976) froze the total number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to each state on the basis of the 1971 Census.
2. The 84th Amendment (2001) extended the freeze on inter-state seat allocation until the first Census taken after the year 2026.
3. The freeze was justified as an incentive so that states successfully pursuing population control would not lose seats.
4. The 84th Amendment prohibited any readjustment of constituency boundaries within states until after 2026.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 4 only
• D. 3 and 4

Q2. Regarding how the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001 differed from the Forty-second Amendment Act, 1976 in relation to delimitation, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Unlike the 42nd Amendment, the 84th Amendment permitted readjustment of constituency boundaries within states on the basis of the 2001 Census.
2. The 42nd Amendment froze seats on the basis of the 1971 Census, whereas the 84th Amendment shifted the freeze base for inter-state allocation to the 1991 Census.
3. Both amendments retained the total number of Lok Sabha seats at the level fixed on the basis of the 1971 Census.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Since the adoption of the Constitution, on how many occasions has a Delimitation Commission been constituted in India under a Delimitation Commission Act (prior to the Delimitation Bill, 2026)?

• A. Two
• B. Three
• C. Four
• D. Five

Q4. As per the Delimitation Bill, 2026, which of the following is/are correctly identified as part of the composition of the Delimitation Commission?

1. A person who is or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chairperson.
2. The Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner nominated by the Chief Election Commissioner.
3. The State Election Commissioner of the concerned state.
4. Ten associate members for each state, all nominated from among the Rajya Sabha members representing that state.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. The three Delimitation-related Bills of 2026, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, fall under the administrative purview of which one of the following Union Ministries?

• A. Ministry of Home Affairs
• B. Ministry of Law and Justice
• C. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
• D. Election Commission of India

Q6. In the context of the Delimitation Bill, 2026, the term 'delimitation' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

• A. The process of fixing the number of seats and the boundaries of territorial constituencies of legislative bodies
• B. The process of allocating financial resources among states in proportion to their population
• C. The redistribution of Rajya Sabha seats among states after each Census
• D. The reservation of one-third of seats for women within existing constituencies

Q7. Comparing the women's reservation under the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 with the existing reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The women's reservation applies within the seats reserved for SCs and STs, and not merely to unreserved seats.
2. Whereas the SC/ST reservation carries no built-in sunset clause, the women's reservation is limited to 15 years unless extended by a law of Parliament.
3. The women's reservation, like the SC/ST reservation, took effect immediately upon the commencement of the amending Act.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Based on projections using the 2011 Census under the proposed Lok Sabha expansion, which of the following is/are correctly identified with respect to the change in their Lok Sabha seat share?

1. Uttar Pradesh — projected to gain seats.
2. Tamil Nadu — projected to lose seats.
3. Bihar — projected to lose seats.
4. Kerala — projected to lose seats.

• A. 1, 2 and 4
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. With reference to the north–south seat-share debate arising from the proposed expansion, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Under 2011-Census-based delimitation, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar together would see their combined seat share rise from about 22% to about 25%.
2. States such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which achieved lower fertility rates earlier, stand to lose seat share relative to northern states.
3. The Rajya Sabha's maximum strength would be raised in proportion to the Lok Sabha expansion so as to preserve the existing ratio between the two Houses.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. With reference to the historical strength of the Lok Sabha and the work of Delimitation Commissions, which of the following is/are correctly identified?

1. The first Lok Sabha (1951–52) was constituted with 489 elected constituencies.
2. The Delimitation Commission of 1962 fixed the number of Lok Sabha seats at 522.
3. The elected strength of 543 seats was fixed following the Delimitation Commission of the 1970s.
4. The Delimitation Commission of 2002, like every Delimitation Commission before it, increased the total number of Lok Sabha seats.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q11. If the expansion is enacted, the consequential increase in the strength of State Legislative Assemblies (Article 170) and Lok Sabha constituencies would be given effect primarily through which one of the following?

• A. The Delimitation Commission constituted under the Delimitation Bill, 2026
• B. The Election Commission of India acting suo motu under the Representation of the People Act
• C. The Ministry of Home Affairs by executive order
• D. Each concerned State Legislature by an ordinary law