Section 11: Section 11 – Delimitation of Council Constituencies

Overview

Section 11 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, focuses on how the areas from which members are elected to State Legislative Councils are determined. It outlines the process for dividing each state into specific constituencies representing local bodies, graduates, and teachers, ensuring fair representation for these groups.

Key Provisions

• This section empowers the Election Commission to divide each state into constituencies for elections to the Legislative Council. These constituencies fall into three main categories: constituencies representing local authorities (like municipalities and district boards), constituencies for graduates, and constituencies for teachers.
• The section mandates that the Election Commission must notify the boundaries and composition of these constituencies. This notification is crucial as it defines who can vote and contest in each constituency.
• It doesn’t specify *how* the delimitation is done (population, geography etc.) – that’s left to the Election Commission’s discretion, guided by principles of fairness and representation.

Impact on Voters and Electoral Rolls

Section 11 directly impacts who can vote in State Legislative Council elections. Because the Council represents specific groups – local bodies, graduates, and teachers – the electoral rolls for each constituency are different. Local authority constituencies have voters who are members of those local bodies. Graduate and teacher constituencies have separate rolls based on educational qualifications and employment. This section ensures that each of these groups has a defined area or category for electing their representatives, and that electoral rolls are prepared accordingly.

Practical Examples

• Example 1: Imagine a state needs to elect 10 members from local authorities. Section 11 allows the Election Commission to divide the state into, say, 5 constituencies, each representing a specific region and its local bodies. The voters in each constituency would be the elected members of the local bodies within that region.
• Example 2: A state has a large number of graduates. The Election Commission, under Section 11, might create three graduate constituencies – one for a specific region, one for a particular field of study (e.g., engineering), and one open to all graduates. Separate electoral rolls would be prepared for each, verifying the graduate status of potential voters.

Related Sections / Rules

Section 11 works closely with other parts of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Section 14, dealing with the preparation of electoral rolls, is particularly relevant as it outlines how the rolls for these specific constituencies are created and maintained. The Registration of Electors Rules, 1962 provide detailed procedures for registering voters in these specialized constituencies, verifying qualifications (like graduation or teaching experience), and handling objections.