**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1108, answered on July 25, 2025, by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence, Shri Sanjay Seth, the following information regarding Cantonment Boards was provided:
a. There are currently 61 Cantonment Boards in India.
b. Approximately 1.61 lakh acres of Defence land are located within these Cantonments, out of a total of 17.81 lakh acres of Defence land. As per the 2011 Census, the population residing within these Cantonments is 20,78,854.
c. Elections to Cantonment Boards have been deferred due to a proposal to excise civil areas from select Cantonments and merge them with adjoining State municipalities. This initiative aims to establish uniformity in municipal laws between Cantonment areas and adjacent municipalities. The outcome of this excision exercise is expected to influence the governance structure of Cantonment Boards, thus impacting the timing of future elections.
Key Entities Referenced
Cantonment Boards: Local self-government bodies providing municipal services in cantonment areas in India.
Ministry of Defence: The Indian government ministry responsible for the country's defense.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
SHRI VARUN CHAUDHRY: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question about Cantonment Boards.
SHRI SANJAY SETH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Defence Land: Land owned by the Ministry of Defence in India.
State Governments: Refers to the governments of the individual states within India.
2011 Census: The decennial population census conducted in India in 2011, used here to report the population within Cantonment areas.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1108
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25th July, 2025
CANTONMENT BOARDS
1108. SHRI VARUN CHAUDHRY:
Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Cantonment Boards in the country;
(b) the area and population covered under these Cantonment Boards; and
(c) the reasons for not holding elections in these Cantonment Boards and the timeline by which
elections are likely to be held?
A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SANJAY SETH)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(a) Presently, there are 61 Cantonment Boards in the country.
(b) The total area of Defence Land is 17.81 lakh acres, out of which about 1.61 lakh
acres is located within the Cantonments. The population in Cantonments is
20,78,854 as per 2011 Census.
(c) In order to bring uniformity in municipal laws governing Cantonment areas and
adjoining State municipalities, a proposal for excision of civil areas from the limits
of select Cantonments and their merger with adjoining municipalities has been
taken up with the concerned State Governments. Since the outcome of excision
exercise may have a bearing on the governance structure of Cantonment Boards,
elections to Cantonment Boards have not been conducted.
*****