CURRENT AFFAIRS | 15 APRIL 2026
CLAT GK + CONSTITUTIONAL LAW & PARLIAMENTARY DELIMITATION
On Day 2 of the special Parliament session, the Government has introduced three landmark bills proposing to expand the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats and fast-track the 33 percent women’s quota by carrying out delimitation on the basis of the 2011 Census rather than waiting for the first census after 2026. The move is described as essential to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment, 2023) in time for the 2029 general election.
The three bills are the 2026 Delimitation Bill, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, and the 2026 Union Territories Laws Amendment Bill. Of the 850 proposed seats, 815 would come from the States and 35 from Union Territories. This is a major departure from earlier expectations because the 84th Amendment had frozen delimitation until the first census taken after 2026, and using the 2011 figures instead of a fresh census has reignited the fierce North-South divide debate.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 81 — Composition of Lok Sabha (cap 550 elected + 2 Anglo-Indian, latter abolished).
- Article 82 — Readjustment of seats after each census via a Delimitation Act.
- Article 170 — Composition of State Legislative Assemblies; also subject to delimitation.
- Articles 330 & 332 — Reservation of seats for SC/ST in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
- Article 334A (inserted by 106th Amendment) — Women’s reservation; operational only after fresh delimitation.
- 42nd Amendment (1976) — First froze seats based on 1971 census until 2001.
- 84th Amendment (2001) — Extended the freeze until the first census taken after 2026.
- 106th Amendment (2023) — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; 33 percent seats for women.
Why This Matters for CLAT 2027
This is the single most exam-heavy constitutional story of 2026. Expect questions on every freeze amendment (42nd, 84th, 87th, 104th), the J&K Delimitation Commission 2022 precedent under Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, and the sensitive federalism question: should Southern states that successfully controlled population growth lose seats to Northern states that did not? Principle-fact questions will test your ability to apply equity and representative democracy doctrines.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Current Lok Sabha strength | 543 (plus 2 Anglo-Indian, abolished) |
| Proposed strength | 850 (815 States + 35 UTs) |
| Census used | 2011 (not the next post-2026 census) |
| Women reservation | 33 percent under 106th Amendment |
| Key Articles | 81, 82, 170, 330, 332, 334A |
| Governing freeze | 84th Amendment (2001) |
| Expected rollout | Lok Sabha 2029 elections |
| Precedent | J&K Delimitation Commission 2022 |
Mnemonic to Remember
“81 Counts, 82 Adjusts, 170 States, 330 SC/ST, 334A Women” — this sequence locks in every Article you need. Also: “42 Froze First, 84 Froze Again, 106 Promised Women” for the amendment history.
Test Your Knowledge
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
