The delimitation of assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as proposed in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, is expected to take place in the next couple of years, if the Central government proceeds as planned.
If implemented, the number of Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh will increase from 175 to 225, and in Telangana from 119 to 134.
On Monday, the Centre issued a gazette notification approving the national census, which is expected to be completed next year.
Based on the updated population data, the Election Commission will begin the process of delimiting Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies across the country, including in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
This development comes 11 years after the bifurcation of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
The AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, passed on March 1, 2014, laid the foundation for increasing Assembly seats under Section 26(1), which mandates the Election Commission to initiate the process based on governance and administrative convenience.
Initially, political parties had hoped the delimitation would be completed before the 2019 elections, but it did not materialize, as the Centre insisted that the exercise would take place only after the completion of the national census.
The Centre had previously issued a gazette notification on May 5, 2022, for the delimitation of constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir. Following this, a writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court by K Purushottam Reddy, seeking similar action in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justices Surya Kant and Kotishwar Singh, heard the matter and sought the Centre’s response.
Additional Solicitor General K. M. Nataraj informed the Court that the census will be completed by 2026, after which the delimitation process under Section 26(1) will be initiated.
While the Reorganisation Act does not mandate delimitation solely based on population, it emphasizes governance efficiency, administrative convenience, and geographical factors. However, the Centre appears to be linking the delimitation process to the completion of the census.
The pandemic delayed the 2020 census, and with the 2024 general elections approaching, the matter was further postponed.
