Section 3A: Section 3A – Reservation of Seats in Certain Part C States (Repealed)

Overview

Section 3A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, previously addressed the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in specific states known as ‘Part C States’ under the original constitutional scheme. However, this section is now repealed – meaning it is no longer legally valid. It’s important for understanding the historical development of seat reservation in India, but doesn’t govern current electoral practices.

Key Provisions

• Originally, Section 3A outlined how seats were reserved in certain states that were categorized as ‘Part C States’ – these were states that were neither fully integrated into a province nor fully independent.
• It specified the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within those Part C States.
• The provision is now defunct due to subsequent constitutional amendments and the reorganisation of states in India.

Impact on Voters and Electoral Rolls

Because Section 3A is repealed, it currently has no direct impact on voters, the registration process, or the structure of constituencies. When it was in force, it would have directly affected voters in the designated Part C States by ensuring representation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Electoral rolls in those states would have been structured to reflect the reserved constituencies. Today, the allocation of seats and reservation policies are governed by different sections of the Act and constitutional provisions.

Practical Examples

• Example 1: (Historical) Imagine a hypothetical Part C State called ‘Himachal Pradesh’ in 1952. Section 3A might have mandated that 2 out of 10 seats in the state legislative assembly be reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Voters from the Scheduled Tribe community would then vote specifically for candidates contesting those reserved seats.
• Example 2: (Illustrative of Repeal) Let’s say a researcher is studying electoral data from 1960. They encounter a reference to Section 3A. They would understand that this section applied to the electoral process *at that time* but would need to consult current laws (Section 3 and the First Schedule) to understand how seats are allocated and reserved today. They would *not* apply the rules of Section 3A to a modern election.

Related Sections / Rules

While Section 3A is repealed, understanding its historical context is helpful when studying:

• Section 3 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950: This section currently governs the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
• The First Schedule to the Constitution of India: This schedule lists the states and the number of seats allocated to each in the Lok Sabha.
• Delimitation Acts: Various Delimitation Acts (e.g., the Delimitation Act, 2002) define the process for redrawing constituency boundaries, which also impacts seat allocation and reservation.