Why in New?
Leaders from parties like Congress and the DMK have accused the government of using the Women’s Reservation Act as a “cover” for gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering is the practice of manipulating electoral constituency boundaries to favor a particular political party, group, or candidate.
- It distorts fair representation in elections
- Often done during the process of delimitation (redrawing constituencies)
- Undermines the principle of free and fair elections
Types of Gerrymandering
1. Packing
- Concentrating opposition voters into a few constituencies
- Example: One party wins overwhelmingly in few seats, wasting votes
2. Cracking
- Splitting opposition voters across many constituencies
- Prevents them from forming a majority anywhere
3. Kidnapping
- Moving a strong opponentβs voters into another constituency
- Weakens their electoral base
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