Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has taken a firm stand against population-based delimitation, asserting that the southern states will not accept such a move. Speaking at a Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting in Tamil Nadu, he highlighted the concerns that the new delimitation policy could unfairly impact South India's representation in Parliament.
Delimitation refers to the redrawing of parliamentary and legislative assembly constituencies based on population changes. The central government is reportedly considering a delimitation exercise that would allocate more seats to states with larger populations. This has raised alarms in the southern states, which have successfully controlled their population growth over the years. Leaders argue that rewarding population growth with more parliamentary seats would put states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh at a disadvantage compared to more populous northern states.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin echoed Revanth Reddy’s concerns, stating that the principle of federalism must be upheld and that states that have managed population growth should not be penalized. He emphasized that the issue should be debated extensively before any policy change is made.
Political analysts believe that this opposition could lead to significant discussions between state and central governments. Many southern leaders have called for a more equitable approach to representation, considering factors beyond just population numbers.
As debates over delimitation continue, the stance of South Indian leaders will be crucial in shaping the future of India's parliamentary representation. The coming months are likely to witness intense discussions on this issue at both state and national levels.