[81. Composition of the House of the People.—
(1) 4[Subject to the
provisions of article 331 5***], the House of the People shall consist of—
(a) not more than 6[five hundred and thirty members] chosen by
direct election from territorial constituencies in the States; and
(b) not more than 7[twenty members] to represent the Union
territories, chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law provide.
(2) For the purposes of sub-clause
(a) of clause
(1),—
(a) there shall be allotted to each State a number of seats in the House
of the People in such manner that the ratio between that number and the
population of the State is, so far as practicable, the same for all States;
and
(b) each State shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such
manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and
the number of seats allotted to it is, so far as practicable, the same
throughout the State:
8
[Provided that the provisions of sub-clause
(a) of this clause shall not be
applicable for the purpose of allotment of seats in the House of the People to
any State so long as the population of that State does not exceed six millions.]
______________________________________________
1. The words and letters "specified in Part A or Part B of the First Schedule" omitted by
the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 3 (w.e.f. 1-11-1956).
2. Subs. by s. 3, ibid, for "States specified in Part C of First Schedule" (w.e.f. 1-11-1956).
3. Subs. by s. 4, ibid. for arts. 81 and 82 (w.e.f. 1-11-1956).
4. Subs. by the Constitution (Thirty-fifth Amendment) Act, 1974, s. 4, for "subject to the
provisions of art. 331" (w.e.f. 1-3-1975).
5. The words and figure "and para. 4 of the Tenth Schedule" omitted by the Constitution
(Thirty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1975, s. 5 (w.e.f. 26-4-1975).
6. Subs. by the Goa, Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act, 1987 (18 of 1987), s. 63, for
"five hundred and twenty-five members" (w.e.f. 30-5-1987).
7. Subs. by the Constitution (Thirty-first Amendment) Act, 1973, s. 2, for "twenty-five
members" (w.e.f. 17-10-1973).
8. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 17-10-1973).
38 THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
(Part V.—The Union)
(3) In this article, the expression “population” means the population as
ascertained at the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been
published:
1
[
Provided that the reference in this clause to the last preceding census of
which the relevant figures have been published shall, until the relevant figures for
the first census taken after the year 2[2026] have been published, 3[be
construed,—
(i) for the purposes of sub-clause
(a) of clause
(2) and the proviso to
that clause, as a reference to the 1971 census; and
(ii) for the purposes of sub-clause
(b) of clause
(2) as a reference to
the 4[2001] census.]]
