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Debate on Lok Sabha seat expansion revives history of the 543-seat freeze
Why in News?
Debate on Lok Sabha seat expansion revives history of the 543-seat freeze
Debate over expanding the Lok Sabha beyond 543 seats has revived the constitutional history of the freeze first imposed in 1976 to avoid penalising States for population control.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Discussions on whether to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats beyond 543 have revived attention to the constitutional history behind the current freeze.
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 froze the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies at 1971 census levels, primarily to avoid disincentivising population control efforts in some States.
The freeze has since been extended by later constitutional amendments, keeping the total number of Lok Sabha seats unchanged even as India's population has grown substantially.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Lok Sabha seats
- 42nd Amendment
- delimitation
- 84th Amendment
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- Lok Sabha seats, 42nd Amendment, delimitation, 84th Amendment
Mains
Use as an example in GA answers (GS2 - Polity: delimitation, seat freeze, constitutional amendments).
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Smoking in public places and restrictions on tobacco advertising in India are governed by which legislation?
- The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
- The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003
- The Clinical Establishments Act, 2010
Show answer
Answer: C — The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 prohibits smoking in public places and regulates advertisement, sponsorship and packaging of tobacco products in India.
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