Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the the Economic Advisory Council meeting. NEW DELHI: As govt gears to undertake a delimitation exercise in the coming month, a working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has suggested India should split Lok Sabha’s 170 large constituencies using a “targeted criterion” instead of a uniform one to raise the total strength of the House from 543 to 824.The paper by EAC-PM member Shamika Ravi and Mudit Kapoor, of the Indian Statistical Institute, has proposed splitting 59 constituencies into two and 111 constituencies into three. This exercise is expected to increase voter turnout in the next general election by between 0.3 and 2.3 percentage points, corresponding to 90 lakh to 2.3 crore additional voters, it said.According to the model proposed, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will account for 22 of the 59 proposed two-way splits. In cases of three-way splits, the lion’s share will be in UP (17), followed by Maharashtra (12), Bihar (10), and Bengal (10). As a result, the number of seats in southern states is expected to rise — in Telangana from 17 to 26, Andhra from 25 to 38, Karnataka from 28 to 42, TN from 39 to 59, and Kerala from 20 to 30. Among northern and western states, seats will rise from 48 to 72 in Maharashtra, 25 to 38 in Rajasthan, 80 to 120 in UP, 29 to 44 in MP, 26 to 39 in Gujarat, and 40 to 60 in Bihar.The paper stated that implementing the formula will keep the share of seats of southern states and the more populous northern and western states in LS broadly unchanged — 23.6% versus 23.7% and 45.2% versus 45.6%, respectively.Highlighting growing constituency size as a challenge, it noted that the median LS constituency in 2024 had 18.2 lakh registered electors, while the largest constituencies had more than 32 lakh voters. It said large constituencies have high voter loads and uneven participation by different groups, which amplify representation gaps.It said ST-dominated constituencies now have among the highest voting rates, while highly urban constituencies have seen turnout fall, with women in these constituencies registering the lowest turnout. The paper advocated measures such as women-only poll booths in metropolitan constituencies, extending polling hours into the evening to accommodate time constraints of urban working women, and improving transport access to boost female participation in elections.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosFalta Strongman Paraded In Shorts By Cops After Arrest In Falta | WatchAll 28 Chief Ministers Attend NITI Aayog Meeting, Marking End of Recent Boycott TrendKirti Azad Dismisses Exit Talks, Says Didi Will Fix Kalyan Banerjee Dispute | WatchCongress Sweeps Three Of Four Karnataka Rs Seats As Poll Ends Without ContestBJP Wins All Three MP Rajya Sabha Seats Unopposed After Congress Nominee RejectedRam Mandir Funds Issue Takes New Turn With Call For Investigation; Calls For Accountability Emerge’Abhishek Banerjee Destroyed TMC’: Suspended Leader Riju Dutta Launches Fresh AttackIndia-Bangladesh Border Standoff Leaves 55-year-old Stranded In No-Man’s LandEggs Thrown At Arrested TMC Leader Sukumar Dutta During Court Transit In Durgapur | Watch’Will Not Abandon Mamata’: Shatrughan Sinha Rejects Split Talk, Reaffirms Loyalty To ‘Joda Phool’123PhotostoriesInland Taipan changes colour with the seasons: Inside the strange and dramatic seasonal color change explainedIs your child carrying emotional baggage? 6 subtle signs and what parents can do to help“This will help prevent…and improve..” Why did Amit Shah praise this rice varietyShoaib Malik to Glenn Maxwell: 7 international cricketers who married Indian women27-year-old woman shares 5 reasons she doesn’t want to get married earlyNo crowds, no chaos: This remote Himalayan valley in Uttarkhand feels frozen in time5 venomous snakes you’ll only find in Africa and where to spot them5 things fathers should never do and how these mistakes affect a child’s personality5 surprising health benefits of cow gheeFrom MMS scam to sponsors seeking sexual favours: Ranjini Haridas opens up about ill experiences in her career123Hot Picks147000 Medical BillGulf of Oman attackFifa World Cup Opening CeremonyShakiraIndia Vs Afghanistan HighlightsVaibhav SooryavanshiLewis HamiltonCJP ProtestHow to Watch FIFA world cup highlightsTop TrendingHaryana Gym Owner MurderGuru Randhawa Gym FiringGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Delhi Hotel FireSingappen Special ForceCJP ProtestCBSE Class 10 Second Board ResultBengaluru Child DeathKarnataka Murder
NEW DELHI: As govt gears to undertake a delimitation exercise in the coming month, a working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has suggested India should split Lok Sabha’s 170 large constituencies using a “targeted criterion” instead of a uniform one to raise the total strength of the House from 543 to 824.The paper by EAC-PM member Shamika Ravi and Mudit Kapoor, of the Indian Statistical Institute, has proposed splitting 59 constituencies into two and 111 constituencies into three. This exercise is expected to increase voter turnout in the next general election by between 0.3 and 2.3 percentage points, corresponding to 90 lakh to 2.3 crore additional voters, it said.According to the model proposed, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will account for 22 of the 59 proposed two-way splits. In cases of three-way splits, the lion’s share will be in UP (17), followed by Maharashtra (12), Bihar (10), and Bengal (10). As a result, the number of seats in southern states is expected to rise — in Telangana from 17 to 26, Andhra from 25 to 38, Karnataka from 28 to 42, TN from 39 to 59, and Kerala from 20 to 30. Among northern and western states, seats will rise from 48 to 72 in Maharashtra, 25 to 38 in Rajasthan, 80 to 120 in UP, 29 to 44 in MP, 26 to 39 in Gujarat, and 40 to 60 in Bihar.The paper stated that implementing the formula will keep the share of seats of southern states and the more populous northern and western states in LS broadly unchanged — 23.6% versus 23.7% and 45.2% versus 45.6%, respectively.Highlighting growing constituency size as a challenge, it noted that the median LS constituency in 2024 had 18.2 lakh registered electors, while the largest constituencies had more than 32 lakh voters. It said large constituencies have high voter loads and uneven participation by different groups, which amplify representation gaps.It said ST-dominated constituencies now have among the highest voting rates, while highly urban constituencies have seen turnout fall, with women in these constituencies registering the lowest turnout. The paper advocated measures such as women-only poll booths in metropolitan constituencies, extending polling hours into the evening to accommodate time constraints of urban working women, and improving transport access to boost female participation in elections.
