Section 2 in THE CONSTITUTION (THIRTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1973
2. Clause (2) of article 81 of the Constitution lays down that for the purposes of sub-clause (a) of clause (1), there shall be allotted to each State a number of seats in the House of the People in such manner that the ratio between that number and the population of the State is, so far as practicable, the same for all States and that each State shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it is, so far as practicable, the same throughout the State. Under clause (3) of article 81, the expression "population" means the population as ascertained in the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published. Article 82 enjoins that on the completion of each census, the allocation of seats in the House of the People to the State and the division of each State into territorial constituencies shall be readjusted by such authority and in such manner as Parliament may by law determine. In pursuance of article 82, Parliament had enacted the Delimitation Act, 1972 and the Delimitation Commission has been constituted to undertake the necessary task of the readjustment envisaged in article 82.It will be noticed that adherence to the principles laid down in clause (2) of article 81 by the Delimitation Commission in undertaking readjustment as enjoined by article 82 on the basis of the 1971-census figures may have the effect of affecting the number of seats allotted to the States in the House of the People. It is felt that it would be better to ensure that any readjustment and consequent allocation of seats does not adversely affect the existing number of seats allotted to each State in the House of the People and to achieve this purpose it would be necessary to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha suitably.
