Under Article 243P of the Constitution of India, what is the minimum population threshold that qualifies an area to be designated as a "Metropolitan Area"?

Solution

Article 243P(g) defines "Metropolitan Area" as "an area having a population of ten lakhs or more, comprising one or more districts and consisting of two or more municipalities or panchayats or other contiguous areas, specified by the Governor by public notification." This definition, introduced by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, serves as the basis for establishing Metropolitan Planning Committees under Article 243ZE. The ten lakh population threshold is significant because it determines the urban agglomerations that require integrated planning through Metropolitan Planning Committees to consolidate development plans of multiple Municipalities and Panchayats within the metropolitan area.