Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Counting matters: On delimitation, federalism, the Census

​Counting matters: On delimitation, federalism, the Census

Delimitation must remain true to both representation and federalism

By calling for an all-party meeting on March 5 to discuss the delimitation (परिसीमन, सीमांकन) exercise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has sought to stir up (give rise to, cause, produce, generate, spark off, trigger) a national debate. Delimitation, as an exercise, has not seen any increase in the legislative (विधायी) seats since 1973, having been frozen as per the 1971 Census (जनगणना) for parity (समानता, एकरूपता) in population growth across States. This was done to prevent States with a higher population growth from getting “rewarded” with a higher number of representatives (प्रतिनिधि) at the cost of (की कीमत पर) other States with better health indices and lower growth. The 84th constitutional Amendment (84वां संविधान संशोधन) had stipulated (formulate, lay down, frame, prescribe, promulgate) that the delimitation exercise would be based on the first Census after 2026. Is the Union government inexplicably (in a way something can not be accountable/explainable/understandable) delaying the Census exercise to allow for the delimitation exercise to be held earlier? In the normal scheme of things (सामान्य व्यवस्था के अनुसार), the exercise would have been done after the 2031 Census, but it is now possible after 2026 once the Census (due in 2021), is conducted.

The concern of Tamil Nadu that the exercise could hurt its representation (प्रतिनिधित्व) in Parliament is legitimate (वैध, संगत) if the Centre intends (aim, propose, expect, hope) the process to be only proportionally (आनुपातिक रूप से) representative of each State’s population. This is illustrated (show, demonstrate, describe, explain, make clear, elucidate, summarize) in the population growth rates (जनसंख्या वृद्धि दर) (1971-2024) in Tamil Nadu and undivided Bihar. The electorate (all the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election), for which recent data is available, grew by 171% in the former as against 233% in the latter, while they had a comparable number of Lok Sabha MPs (39 versus 54, including Jharkhand). If delimitation was held and constituencies (the specific geographical area that is represented by each MP/MLA) redrawn to match population growth, and even if the overall Lok Sabha tally (total, count) was increased, the final number for Tamil Nadu would clearly be much lower than Bihar’s. Other States with reduced fertility (reproductiveness, productiveness) rates, such as Kerala and Karnataka, will also be affected. Home Minister Amit Shah has said that there will be no “reduction on a pro-rata (a Latin term meaning “in proportion”; relating to a balanced distribution) basis” for Southern States and that they would get their “rightful share” but there has been little clarity on whether this would mean that their proportion of representatives will be retained after delimitation. The significant increase in population since 1973 should lead to (result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to) an increased number of representatives, and, therefore, a higher number of seats, especially in north India’s highly populated States. Yet, the equally important principle of federalism should suggest (indicate, denote, point to, signify) the need for the proportions of representation to be maintained to keep the balance (equilibrium, stability; the distribution of power/influence in a situation) of power intact (not influenced; not swayed; undamaged, unspoiled, unimpaired, untouched) across States. More importantly, the government must expedite (speed up, accelerate, hasten, quicken, step up.) the Census just to allay (reduce, diminish, decrease, lessen, ease, relieve, assuage, alleviate, mitigate, temper, moderate) concerns that it has been delayed to facilitate (make easy, assist, help, aid, expedite, speed up, accelerate) an earlier and controversial delimitation. A nation striving (aim, try hard, fight, make an effort, do one’s utmost, do one’s best) to reach the higher pedestals (platform, podium, stand, level, high table) of world power (a powerful country that has a lot of influence in international politics) cannot afford to delay the basic exercise of counting the number of its own people.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.delimitation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिसीमन, सीमांकन
English Meaning - the act of establishing limits or boundaries in a Treaty, Judgement or other Agreement.

2.demarcation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सीमा निर्धारण
English Meaning - the physical marking of the boundary on the ground.

3.census (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनगणना
English Meaning - an official survey, particularly of a population.

4.(political) representation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिनिधित्व
English Meaning - the activity of making citizens’ voices, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public policy making processes.

5.call for (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - माँग करना, अनिवार्य होना
English Meaning - require, publicly ask/necessitate, request, appeal, demand.

6.legislative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विधायी
English Meaning - relating to a legislature; parliamentary, legislatorial.

7.parity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समानता, एकरूपता
English Meaning - equality, uniformity, sameness, consistency.

8.(elected) representative (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिनिधि
English Meaning - a member of a legislature (parliament/congress/council/legislative assembly); lawmaker, legislator.

9.at the cost of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - की कीमत पर
English Meaning - at the loss of, at the expense of.

10.indices plural of index (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सूचकांक
English Meaning - measure; guide, indication.

11.84th constitutional Amendment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - 84वां संविधान संशोधन
English Meaning - The 84th Amendment Act, 2001 froze the constituency boundaries till the first census after 2026, that is, at least until after 2031.

12.(in the normal) scheme of things (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - सामान्य व्यवस्था के अनुसार
English Meaning - in the way things normally/generally happen or arranged to happen (when compared with/related to other things) in a particular situation; a general view of the situation as a whole.

13.legitimate (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - वैध, संगत
English Meaning - legal, lawful, authorized, recognized.

14.proportionally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - आनुपातिक रूप से
English Meaning - proportionately, consistently, relatively, correspondingly (in size/number/amount of something).

15.population growth rate (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनसंख्या वृद्धि दर
English Meaning - the average rate at which a population increases over a given period of time.
 

16.federalism/federal framework/system (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

17.Sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

18.stir up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - give rise to, cause, produce, generate, spark off, trigger.

19.frozen (past tense) of freeze (verb)

English Meaning - limiting/restrict (something from taking place).

20.stipulate (verb)

English Meaning - formulate, lay down, frame, prescribe, promulgate.

21.inexplicably (adverb)

English Meaning - in a way something can not be accountable/explainable/understandable.

22.intend (verb)

English Meaning - aim, propose, expect, hope.

23.illustrate (verb)

English Meaning - show, demonstrate, describe, explain, make clear, elucidate, summarize.

24.electorate (noun)

English Meaning - all the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election.

25.held past participle of hold (verb)

English Meaning - conduct, organize, arrange.

26.constituency (noun)

English Meaning - the specific geographical area that is represented by each MP/MLA.

27.tally (noun)

English Meaning - total, count.

28.total fertility rate (TFR) (noun)

English Meaning - the average number of children a woman would give birth to during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years (15-49 years) experiencing the present day age-specific fertility rates.

29.fertility (noun)

English Meaning - reproductiveness, productiveness.

30.pro-rata (adjective)

English Meaning - a Latin term meaning “in proportion”; relating to a balanced distribution.

31.lead to (verb)

English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

32.suggest (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, denote, point to, signify.

33.balance (noun)

English Meaning - equilibrium, stability; the distribution of power/influence in a situation.

34.intact (adjective)

English Meaning - not influenced; not swayed; undamaged, unspoiled, unimpaired, untouched.

35.expedite (verb)

English Meaning - speed up, accelerate, hasten, quicken, step up.

36.allay (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, diminish, decrease, lessen, ease, relieve, assuage, alleviate, mitigate, temper, moderate

37.facilitate (verb)

English Meaning - make easy, assist, help, aid, expedite, speed up, accelerate.

38.strive (verb)

English Meaning - aim, try hard, fight, make an effort, do one’s utmost, do one’s best.

39.pedestal (noun)

English Meaning - platform, podium, stand, level, high table.

40.world power (noun)

English Meaning - a powerful country that has a lot of influence in international politics.

41.could not afford/cannot afford/can ill afford (phrase)

English Meaning - if you cannot afford to do something, you must prevent it from happening because it would be embarrassing and cause problems (if it happens).