FACULTY OF LAW
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
organises a two day
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
on
DELIMITATION IN INDIA:
BALANCING REPRESENTATION
AND FEDERAL EQUITY
26 - 27 SEPTEMBER 2025
Venue: Faculty of Law, Umang Bhawan, Chhatra
Marg, Delhi - 110007
Call for Papers
011-27667483 delimitation@law.du.ac.in
About the Faculty of Law
Established in 1924, the Faculty of Law is a premier department of the University of
Delhi, an institution of national importance under Entry 63 of the Seventh Schedule
to the Constitution of India. As a national center for legal education, it has produced
generations of eminent jurists, Supreme Court and High Court judges, leading senior
advocates, political leaders, policymakers, and public intellectuals. Despite its
illustrious alumni, the Faculty remains committed to egalitarian ideals, offering
high-quality legal education at nominal cost. Strategically located in the heart of
Delhi, it attracts a diverse student body from across India and abroad. With over
10,000 students enrolled in LL.B., B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), LL.M., and
Ph.D. programs, it is among the largest law schools in the world.
The Faculty fosters academic excellence through its distinguished teaching staff,
multicultural learning environment, and a robust calendar of seminars, conferences,
moot courts, and workshops. It regularly hosts scholars from renowned national and
international institutions under various fellowships and MoUs aimed at global
academic exchange. A pioneer in areas like Intellectual Property Rights, Human
Rights, Environmental Law, and Gender Justice, the Faculty has significantly
influenced legal reform in India. Faculty members have contributed to laws against
dowry deaths, media accountability, women's and children's rights, and the
promotion of secularism.
With growing emphasis on corporate, financial, and technology law, the Faculty
remains aligned with India’s evolving legal and economic landscape. Its faculty are
deeply involved in mentoring, accessible beyond the classroom, and dedicated to
socially relevant legal education.
The Faculty of Law is dedicated to nurturing future legal professionals and public
leaders. It instills in its students a strong sense of purpose and a deep commitment
to social justice. Guided by a rich tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and
public service, the Faculty continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the legal
landscape of the country.
About the Conference
Delimitation plays a crucial role in upholding democracy and adapting to the evolving demographics of
the country. It is vital for ensuring fair representation in elections, addressing key issues such as
population shifts, equal voting power, gerrymandering, and the balance of representation between
urban and rural areas.
Since independence, India has conducted four delimitation exercises based on census data to maintain
a balanced and representative democratic system. These exercises involve redrawing the boundaries of
electoral constituencies to reflect demographic changes, ensuring that each vote carries equal weight
and minimizing the risk of political manipulation.
As the country approaches 2026, debates surrounding the upcoming delimitation exercise have gained
prominence. At the heart of this discussion lies the challenge of balancing population-based
representation with the principles of federal equity. Demographic trends vary significantly across
states—those that have effectively curbed population growth through progressive policies may face a
reduction in parliamentary representation. In contrast, states with higher population growth could gain
disproportionately, raising fundamental questions about democratic fairness, the incentives for good
governance, and the very nature of India’s federal compact.
The Supreme Court of India, in the classic case on delimitation Kishorchandra Chhanganlal Rathod
v. Union of India, (2024) 7 SCR 1124, has established that the judgment in Meghraj Kothari v.
Delimitation Commission, AIR 1967 SC 669, does not impose an absolute restriction on judicial
review. The Honourable Court emphasized that a complete bar on judicial intervention would deprive
citizens of any platform to articulate their grievances, thereby leaving them entirely at the discretion
of the Delimitation Commission. Such a circumstance would contradict the Court’s role as a
constitutional entity and its obligation to safeguard the public interest, as well as the principle of
separation of powers. Nonetheless, the Court recognized that the finality of the Delimitation Act is
safeguarded under Article 329 of the Constitution, a position that was reaffirmed by the Supreme
Court in Public Interest Committee for Scheduling Specific Areas & Ors. v. Union of India,
(2023) 16 SCR 1074 ruling that in view of Article 329, Delimitation Notification is beyond the realm of
judicial review.
The integration of technology into the delimitation process offers several advantages. It enables more
accurate, data-driven, and transparent redrawing of constituency boundaries, reducing human error
and potential bias, thereby upholding the principles of representative democracy. However, technology
also presents challenges. Technologies like digital processes may exclude stakeholders unfamiliar with
such tools, leading to a lack of inclusivity. There is also a risk of data manipulation or misuse if proper
checks and balances are not in place.
Against this backdrop, the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, a premier legal institution takes pride in
organizing a two day international Conference on “Delimitation In India: Balancing Representation And
Federal Equity.” The conference provides a valuable platform for academics, lawyers, NGOs,
intellectuals, policymakers, bureaucrats and and experts from diverse fields to engage in informed and
meaningful dialogue on the subject. Renowned national and international experts and practitioners are
invited to deliberate on the legal, policy, administrative, and social dimensions of the conference’s
central theme and its sub-themes
OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE
To analyze the Constitutional and legal framework of delimitation
To explore the federal implications of delimitation
To study the role of the delimitation commission
To evaluate representation and population balance
To evaluate the impact of delimitation on political representation
To analyze political and electoral impacts
To discuss federal equity and state autonomy
To discuss alternative models and global comparisons
To examine international experiences and best practices
To promote public awareness and engagement
CALL FOR PAPERS
To achieve the objectives of the conference, the participants are invited to make critical
analysis on the themes and sub-themes given hereunder. Original papers are invited, but are
not limited to, the following themes and sub-themes:
THEMES AND SUB-THEMES
1. Historical and Constitutional Background
Evolution of delimitation in India (1952, 1963, 1973, 2002 Commissions)
Delimitation Acts (1952, 1962, 1972, 2002)
Constitutional provisions (Articles 81, 82, 170, 330, and Delimitation Acts)
Freeze on Delimitation (1976–2026): 42nd and 84th Constitutional Amendments
Impact of 2001 Census & 2002 Delimitation
2. Principles and Objectives of Delimitation
Equal representation: “One person, one vote”
Demographic equity and population-based representation
Ensuring effective and inclusive governance
Preventing malapportionment and gerrymandering
3. Political and Electoral Implications
North-South divide and regional imbalances
Fear of undermining fiscal and political federalism
Role of the Rajya Sabha and inter-state checks
Seat Redistribution Debates
THEMES AND SUB-THEMES
4. Socio-Economic, Political and Demographic Considerations
Population Growth and Fertility Rates
Urban vs. Rural Representation
Representation of Marginalized Groups
Women and minority representation
Changing political power dynamics at national and state levels
5. Administrative and Technical Aspects
Use of Census Data: Accuracy, delay, and reliability of census in boundary
redrawing.
Criteria for Redrawing Boundaries: Geographical contiguity, population, and
administrative convenience.
Technology in Delimitation: GIS and digital mapping in modern exercises.
6. Legal and Institutional Mechanisms
Structure and mandate of the Delimitation Commission
Judicial oversight and scope for review
Role of Parliament and state legislatures
Transparency and public participation in the process
Controversies and Litigations: Disputes over boundary changes or constituency
status.
7. Comparative Perspectives
Global Practices in Delimitation: Delimitation practices in other federal
democracies (e.g., USA, Canada, Australia)
Gerrymandering vs. Fair Representation: Ensuring neutrality and fairness.
Decentralized models and their efficacy
8. Future Challenges and Reforms
Post-2026 Delimitation Concerns
Alternatives to population-based representation
Technological integration (GIS-based delimitation)
Political Consensus Building
GUIDELINES FOR PAPER SUBMISSION
(Applicable to presenters whose abstracts have been accepted after review)
Abstract of the paper should not exceed 250 words.
On the first page the following details should be mentioned:
Title & Name of the Author(s)
University/Organization, Paper Title
Theme & Sub-Theme of the Conference
Email Address & mobile number
The maximum word limit of the full paper should not exceed 10,000 words
(including.footnotes).
Pagination & Style
Times New Roman Font; Size 12 for text & 10 for footnotes
Line spacing should be 1.5 for text and single for footnotes
Document Format should be docs. or docx.
The style of citation and references should be of ‘Indian Law Institute, Rules of
Footnoting’ available at http://www.ili.ac.in/cstyle.pdf
The language of the paper should be in English or Hindi.
NOTE:
The full papers to be sent to delimitation@law.du.ac.in by 17 August 2025 by 11:00 PM.
The Registration and Abstract should be submitted at the given below link by 10 August
2025 by 11:00 PM
Registration form link https://forms.gle/A5TXXsRbUg8Jkj5c7
Informationtion
TRAVEL ALLOWANCE & ACCOMMODATION
No TA/DA will be provided to participants. Participants are advised to arrange their own or
claim the same from their institutions.
The participants are advised to arrange their own accommodation. However, on prior request
and subject to the availability of rooms at the University guest house, a limited number of
accommodations may be arranged at the expense of the participant.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
The conference will also be graced by eminent Professors, Judges, Bureaucrats,
Policymakers, Lawyers, Representatives from International Organizations, Think Tanks, NGOs
etc .
IMPORTANT DATES
Opening of Registration and Abstract submission: 16 June 2025
Closing of Registration and Abstract submission: 10 August 2025
Declaration of Accepted Abstract: 26 August 2025
Closing for full paper submission : 6 September 2025
Date of Conference : 26 – 27 September 2025
Note:
Registration is free. Only a limited number of papers will be selected for presentation after
review. The number of participants including paper presenters shall be limited to one
hundred.
Non-presenters will be selected on first- cum-first serve basis. Both paper presenters and
non- presenters are mandatorily required to register in the hereinabove given registration
link.
VENUE:
The venue of the conference will be at Umang Bhawan, Faculty of Law, Chhatra Marg, Delhi -
110007
PATRONAGE
Patron-in-Chief
Prof. Yogesh Singh
Vice-Chancellor, University Delhi
Patron
Prof. (Dr.) Anju Vali Tikoo
Head & Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
Organising Committee
Professor In-charge
Law Centre - I, University of Delhi
Professor In-charge
Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi
Professor In-charge
Law Centre-II, University of Delhi
Director
5 Year Integrated Law Course, University of Delhi
Conference Conveners
Dr. Moatoshi Ao
Dr. Anil Sain
Dr. Nitesh Saraswat
Dr. Anumeha Mishra
Student Coordinators
Ms. Keertika Singh +91 8318898468
Ms. Nomita Rana +91 9953298046
Mr. Pradeep Gulrajani +91 9910818311
Mr. Arun Kumar Rajora +91 8826010322
Contact Details:
delimitation@law.du.ac.in
Dr. Moatoshi Ao +91 9540733934 Dr. Nitesh Saraswat +91 9828389503
Dr. Anil Sain +91 9999996011 Dr. Anumeha Mishra +91 9455853514
