Latest news with #Hindi-speakingStates
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Injustice in the delay: on the next Census
India's next decadal population census, initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now scheduled to conclude by March 2027, after a further delay apparently fuelled by political motivations. The Census in 2021 did not take place as planned, thus impacting different aspects of governance, especially social security schemes for vulnerable populations that rely heavily on updated demographic data for effective and efficient delivery. For the first time, the Census will be digitally administered, enabling faster data gathering and easier accessibility for analysis, thereby allowing population-level data to be more dynamic. However, this technological adoption also heightens concerns regarding data theft and privacy. While the nature of the Census will evolve, transparency at all levels will be crucial to building public trust in the exercise. Preparations for this massive operation, which will reach every household, are underway, with more logistical details anticipated in the weeks ahead. India stands at a demographic crossroads, facing the challenges of growing populations of the young and the old alongside significant regional variations in key indicators. Fresh data from the Census can help address many issues. For the first time since 1931, caste categories will be enumerated. While more reliable data on the socio-economic standing of caste groups can inform development planning, the potential for further social segmentation makes caste enumeration a double-edged sword. A critical aspect of the upcoming Census is its link to the next delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, which will redraw India's electoral map. The Constitution mandates that the next inter-State delimitation be based on population figures from the first Census after 2026. The current distribution of Lok Sabha seats is based on the 1971 population spread. With the reference date for the Census set as March 1, 2027, for most of the country, this can pave the way for the next delimitation exercise. States that have experienced lower population growth in recent decades, particularly in the peninsular region, have expressed concern that their parliamentary representation will diminish if population becomes the sole criterion for redistribution. The Centre has yet to clarify its stance on this matter. With the Census now in motion, it is imperative for the Centre to engage with all stakeholders and build consensus on the sensitive issue of delimitation. Otherwise, the delay in the announcement of the Census will be taken to mean as an attempt to ensure that the ruling BJP benefits from the increased representation for the Hindi-speaking States.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Population-based delimitation is fair, says BJP ally Upendra Kushwaha
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ally and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) said Lok Sabha seats should be increased in proportion to the population of various States. 'The southern States' view that doing so would discriminate against the States that had followed population control policies was wrong,' Mr. Kushwaha said. It was aimed at 'denying the rights' of other States, including Bihar, the former Union Minister and head of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, said at a press conference in New Delhi. Stating that India's Constitution assigned the same electoral value to every vote, Mr. Kushwaha said it was the right of citizens in the Hindi-speaking States to be allocated Lok Sabha seats according to their numbers. 'I will urge the Central Government not to come under pressure from the southern States, and carry out a delimitation exercise on the basis of population,' he said. He said that from 1881 to 1951, the population in southern India had almost doubled, and its share in the country's population had grown from 22% to 26% in this period. The overall population share of the southern States was 25% in 1971, the last time delimitation was carried out, Mr. Kushwaha said, adding that his figures were based on official data. He said a State such as Bihar had suffered the worst form of colonial oppression, and its share in the national population declined from 10.8% in 1881 to 8% in 1951. However, Bihar was not a separate region in 1881. Mr. Kushwaha said that southern India had benefited in terms of its share of Lok Sabha seats due to its rising population at a time when population growth had been limited in Hindi-speaking States, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He claimed the southern States now wanted to deny the same benefits to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 'It is like someone having eaten at a banquet first demanding that those in the queue should not be served the meal,' Mr. Kushwaha said. He questioned the claim of Governments in southern States that their policies were behind the decline in population growth, saying it had more to do with the improvement in socio-economic indicators. Bihar, the State he hailed from, was also 'improving in these indicators now,' Mr. Kushwaha said, and the 'consequences would be reflected in declining population growth in the State,' he added. Five southern States, especially the four ruled by the Opposition Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, have dialled up pressure on the BJP-led NDA Government against a population-based delimitation exercise, due after 2026 and the enumeration of the pending Census. Some parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is in power in Tamil Nadu, had protested on the issue during the Budget Session of the Parliament as well. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the southern States that his Government would ensure no injustice was meted out to them when the delimitation exercise began.
