Article 170 of CoI : Article 170: Composition of the Legislative Assemblies.

Explanation using Example

Example 1:

Scenario: State of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections

Details:

• Maharashtra is preparing for its Legislative Assembly elections.
• According to Article 170, the Legislative Assembly must have between 60 and 500 members.
• Maharashtra has been divided into 288 territorial constituencies based on the population data from the 2001 census.
• Each constituency is designed to have a roughly equal population to ensure fair representation.

Application:

• Citizens of Maharashtra will vote in their respective constituencies to elect 288 members to the Legislative Assembly.
• The Election Commission ensures that the ratio of population to seats is consistent across all constituencies.
• The current division of constituencies will remain in effect until the next census data (post-2026) is published and new adjustments are made.

Example 2:

Scenario: Redrawing Constituency Boundaries in Uttar Pradesh

Details:

• Uttar Pradesh has a large population and its Legislative Assembly consists of 403 members.
• After the completion of the next census (post-2026), the state needs to readjust its constituencies.
• The readjustment will be based on the latest population data to ensure equal representation.

Application:

• The Parliament will determine the authority and manner in which the readjustment will take place.
• The President will specify the date from which the new constituency boundaries will take effect.
• Until the new boundaries are in place, elections will continue based on the existing constituencies.
• This ensures that the representation in the Legislative Assembly remains fair and proportional to the population distribution.

Example 3:

Scenario: Election in a Newly Formed State

Details:

• A new state, Telangana, has been formed and needs to establish its Legislative Assembly.
• According to Article 170, the new state must have between 60 and 500 members in its Legislative Assembly.
• The state is divided into 119 constituencies based on the 2001 census data.

Application:

• The Election Commission organizes elections in these 119 constituencies.
• Each constituency is designed to have a similar population size to ensure equal representation.
• The number of seats and constituency boundaries will be readjusted after the next census data (post-2026) is available.
• This ensures that the new state has a fair and representative Legislative Assembly from the outset.