NEW DELHI: Population data returned by the upcoming ‘Census 2027’, due to begin on April 1, 2026, will pave the way for a countrywide delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies, as the March 1, 2027 reference date makes it “the first Census to be held after 2026”.However, the chances of delimitation being completed in time for the 2029 general election appear bleak, given that the final population data may take time to be published. The final population data for Census 2011 was published almost two years after release of the provisional data in March-end 2011. Even with a ‘digital’ Census – which is expected to facilitate early release of tables – there may be a considerable time lag between completion of the exercise in March 2027 and availability of the final population count to enable initiation of the delimitation process.The home ministry on Thursday took to X to explain the delay in conducting the Census, put on hold five years ago due to the Covid outbreak, stating that hiring lakhs of school teachers as enumerators would have immensely disrupted primary education already hit by the pandemic.Entire Census 2027 data may be released in 3 yrsThe home ministry also cited issues in quality and coverage of Census conducted by other countries immediately after the Covid-19 pandemic. The Census declared by govt on Wednesday fulfils the criterion laid down in the 84th constitutional amendment for a fresh countrywide delimitation.“The relevant cutoff here is the March 1, 2027 reference date for the upcoming Census. Population enumeration is to be done in Feb 2027, and the population count — the primary input for the next delimitation — will be recorded as on March 1, 2027. Thus, the criterion of the upcoming Census being the first Census after 2026 is fulfilled,” said former chief election commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami, who was also ex officio member of the last Delimitation Commission chaired by Justice Kuldip Singh. Jay Vinayak Ojha from Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy added, “Article 82 of the Constitution provides for readjustment of seats between and within states after each Census. The 42nd amendment, passed in 1976, had provided that readjustment of constituencies would take place based on the figures of the first Census to be taken after the year 2000.Delimitation takes time — a couple of years, at least, though the 2002 one had taken six years — as it involves consultations with MPs, MLAs, state chief electoral officers, as well as public meetings in all states/Union Territories to record suggestions and hear objections and claims. Sources indicated that the entire Census 2027 data may be released in around three years; the population figures, much earlier. Interestingly, Finalising delimitation prior to the 2034 general election will work well in terms of plans to switch to ‘one nation-one election’ system, and the implementation of one-third reservation for women in legislature.