Delimitation & State Reorganisation: Reforms for a Balanced Democracy | Prof Gautam R. Desiraju |

Sangam Talks; The Bangalore Chapter
Inaugural edition of Sangam Samvada: Interview by Sri Venkatesh Keshavamurthy

In his upcoming book, Prof. Gautam R. Desiraju emphasizes the urgent need for delimitation and the reorganization of states in India. Delimitation ensures that every vote has equal value and that each state holds equal power. This process was postponed in 1975 by Indira Gandhi due to fears of rising regional parties, and again in 2001 by the Vajpayee government under pressure from smaller parties, delaying it for 50 years. With the population growing, delimitation is now necessary, based on a fresh census. India is a union of states, not a federation, and creating new small states could risk the formation of muslim enclaves, which must be controlled. The Centre must maintain strong powers, even overriding the Supreme Court, to address this issue. Another important point to understand is that linguistic states were a creation of British colonial policies not organic.

About the Speaker:
Gautam Radhakrishna Desiraju is an Indian structural chemist and professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Known for his work on crystal bonding and weak hydrogen bonding, he serves on the Vice Chancellor's Strategic Advisory Council at the University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun, and the Academic Council of Rishihood University, Sonepat. Desiraju has authored numerous commentaries on science, chemistry, and the state of scientific education and research in India. He also explores India’s nature as a civilizational state, contributing valuable books on the subject.

Topics Covered:
0:00:00 The Logical Argument Behind Delimitation and State Reorganisation
0:01:41 India: A Civilisational State, Not Reflected in the Constitution's Values
0:03:31 Why More States Within the Union of India? Insights from the Book on Delimitation and State Reorganisation
0:05:47 Delimitation: A Key Feature of Electoral Democracy and the Right to Equality
0:10:05 The Need for Delimitation: Balancing Vote Value with Population Growth
0:16:38 1975: Delimitation Frozen for 25 Years by Indira Gandhi Due to Political Insecurity Amid Rising Regional Parties
0:22:46 2001: Bajpayee Government Freezes Delimitation for Another 25 Years Amid Pressure from Regional Parties
0:24:18 Delimitation: Differences in Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Elections, and Population Disparity Between States
0:27:27 Hypothetical Scenario: A Unified India Without Partition and Jinnah's Federation Plan with Muslim Majority Areas
0:31:10 Is the First Past the Post System Effective? Delimitation Based on Census, Not Caste Politics
0:33:28 Urban vs Rural: A Key Factor in Creating More States
0:36:28 The Need for Delimitation to Equalize State Power: State Boundaries, British Policies, and the Case for New States
0:43:39 The Emotional Attachment to Regional Language-Based Identity: A British Creation and the Myth of Linguistic States
0:53:53 The Muslim Veto: Challenges in Delimitation and the Need for Strong Central Control
1:00:01 The Need for States with Equal Power: Balancing Population, Micro Identity, and Unity
1:05:37 Reforming Parliament: The Need to Move Beyond First-Past-the-Post and Constitutional Amendments for Delimitation
1:10:11 Balancing Power Between Parliament and Legislative Assemblies: Lessons from the US Senate
1:13:05 Concluding Remarks

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