Delimitation, census, democracy: Banojyotsna Lahiri sounds the alarm on Kunal Kamra's ‘Nope’ podcast
New Delhi: In the 24th episode of the podcast series "Nope w/ Kunal Kamra," democratic rights activist and Delhi-based researcher Banojyotsna Lahiri raised serious concerns over the delayed census, the growing push for "One Nation, One Election."
Hosted by comedian and political commentator Kunal Kamra, the episode titled "The End Game of Elections?" delved into the implications of electoral delimitation, especially its impact on the federal balance between northern and southern India.
At the heart of the discussion was the question of why India’s census, due in 2021, has still not been conducted. “Census has not been done yet, that too is a crime,” Lahiri remarked at the beginning. She dismissed the government’s earlier excuse of the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing out that large public events like the IPL and Cricket World Cup were held between 2021 and 2025. Drawing a historical comparison, she noted that even during World War II, the British government managed to conduct the census in 1942.
Lahiri highlighted that the census is the constitutional basis for the delimitation process, as laid out in Articles 82 and 170. After every ten-year census, a delimitation commission is meant to be formed to redraw the boundaries and determine the number of parliamentary seats, including those reserved for SCs and STs. However, the last such exercise was carried out based on the 1971 census. “After the Emergency, in 1976, it was decided that this delimitation will not be done until 2001,” she said, adding that the freeze was later extended to 2026 as part of a compromise between states with high population growth and those with better development indicators.
The crux of her argument lay in how the new round of delimitation, expected after the 2026 census, would disproportionately benefit northern Indian states with higher populations, while punishing the southern states that have effectively implemented population control and progressive policies. Lahiri warned, “This is a kind of punishment to the South for doing better. The states that did good work, they will now be punished by reducing their political power.”
Kamra interjected to ask whether this issue was being seen through a regional lens. Lahiri confirmed that the north-south divide was indeed an underlying tension in the discourse. “In the name of democracy, you are taking away seats from South India,” she said. The logic is that states that grew faster demographically will receive more parliamentary representation, skewing national politics further in favour of the Hindi heartland.
The conversation also touched on the broader narrative around caste and representation. Lahiri questioned the societal misconception that “general” categories imply “upper caste.” “General does not mean upper caste. General means for everyone,” she asserted. She pointed out that in several constituencies marked as ‘general’, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes constitute the majority, yet they are often denied representation.
On the topic of “One Nation, One Election,” Lahiri linked it to a broader pattern of democratic erosion. She described these policies as attempts to “destroy the essence of democracy,” adding that “we will have to fight for that too, and we will fight.”
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'The Ba**ds of Bollywood’ mirrors my life, damages my reputation: Sameer Wankhede tells Delhi HC
New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
