Article 82 of CoI : Article 82: Readjustment After Each Census

Explanation using Example

Imagine that the results of the 2031 national census in India have just been published. According to Article 82 of the Constitution of India, it is now time to re-evaluate the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) to ensure fair representation based on the latest population data. The Parliament enacts a law designating an authority to handle the readjustment of seats and the division of states into constituencies.

However, the current Lok Sabha will continue to function with the existing seat allocation until it is dissolved. The new allocation will come into effect for the subsequent Lok Sabha elections. The President of India sets the date when the new allocation will become effective, and any elections before that date will proceed based on the pre-readjustment constituencies.

Moreover, the law stipulates that, based on the freeze on seat allocation from the 1971 census and the division of states from the 2001 census, no readjustment will occur until after the 2026 census figures are available. Therefore, the 2031 census is the first to prompt a readjustment since the freeze.