In 1976, the Indira Gandhi government passed a law to freeze the number of Lok Sabha seats at 545, based on the 1971 census. The primary objective was to ensure that states successfully implementing population control measures were not penalized with reduced parliamentary representation. It was feared that rewarding states with higher population growth would undermine the national population policy.

Population Stability and Political Impact At that time, experts believed India would achieve population stability by 2001. However, critics argued that the move was a strategic play to maintain political dominance. Later, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government extended this freeze until 2026. This long-standing restriction has now led to a significant debate regarding the potential shift in political power between northern and southern states once the delimitation process resumes.

At a Glance

• The number of Lok Sabha seats was frozen at 545 in 1976 based on the 1971 census.
• The freeze aimed to protect states that effectively managed population growth.
• In 2001, the Vajpayee government extended the moratorium until 2026.
• A fresh delimitation after 2026 could drastically alter the parliamentary map of India.