Representation of the People Act sets rules for voter rolls and seat allocation

This document is the text of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, an Indian parliamentary statute that establishes the legal framework for the allocation of seats, delimitation of constituencies, and preparation of electoral rolls for elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies. It matters to citizens as it defines the statutory rules governing voter registration and the structure of legislative bodies.

Who it concerns: The document concerns the Parliament of India (as the enacting authority), the Election Commission, State Governments, and all eligible voters and candidates in Parliamentary and State Legislative Assembly constituencies.

What the document says

• The Act provides for the allocation of seats in the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies as specified in the First and Second Schedules.
• It defines the powers of the Election Commission to maintain delimitation orders and determine constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes in specific states.
• The Act outlines the qualifications for voter registration, the preparation and revision of electoral rolls, and the procedure for correcting entries and handling appeals.
• It specifies that every parliamentary and assembly constituency (with specific exceptions for Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh) shall be a single-member constituency.
• The Act bars the jurisdiction of civil courts in matters related to the preparation of electoral rolls and elections.

Also in the document

• The text includes specific provisions for the allocation of seats in the Legislative Assemblies of Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura, including reservations for Scheduled Tribes and specific ethnic groups.
• The document notes that certain sections (e.g., Sections 5, 6, 26, and parts of the Schedules) have been repealed or amended by subsequent Acts and Orders, such as the Adaptation of Laws (No. 2) Order, 1956, and the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1980.