Constitution Bill unfreezes seat allocation, raises Lok Sabha size to 815

This Bill amends the Constitution to unfreeze the allocation of seats in the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies, allowing them to be readjusted based on the latest published census figures. It also operationalizes the reservation of one-third of seats for women in these bodies by linking it to a delimitation exercise.

The Bill affects the composition of the House of the People (Lok Sabha), State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (specifically Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir). It impacts political parties and candidates contesting elections in these bodies, as well as the Delimitation Commission responsible for redrawing constituency boundaries.

• Increases the maximum number of members in the House of the People from 530 to 815 (815 from States and 35 from Union Territories).
• Removes the freeze on seat allocation that was based on the 1971 census, allowing readjustment based on the latest census determined by Parliament.
• Mandates that the reservation of one-third of seats for women in the House of the People and State/UT Legislative Assemblies takes effect after a delimitation exercise is undertaken.
• Specifies that the women's reservation will cease after 15 years from the commencement of the 106th Amendment Act (2023) unless extended by Parliament.
• Requires that reserved seats for women be allotted by rotation to different constituencies.
• Updates provisions for Scheduled Tribe reservations in the Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura upon readjustment of seats.

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