NEW DELHI, Apr 15: A fresh political confrontation has erupted between the ruling government and the opposition, with the Congress on Wednesday accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of engaging in “deliberate deceit” over the contentious issue of delimitation.
The row follows the circulation of draft bills ahead of a special session of Parliament, focusing on the implementation of the women’s reservation law and a proposed delimitation exercise. The Congress has claimed that these measures contradict earlier assurances given by the prime minister regarding equitable representation across states.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack, alleging that the proposed changes would disproportionately impact southern states, along with smaller states in northwestern and eastern regions. According to him, the promise of a uniform and proportionate increase in Lok Sabha representation has not been upheld.
He further argued that the proposed framework risks undermining the federal balance by redistributing parliamentary strength in a manner that disadvantages states with lower population growth. The Congress maintains that such a move could distort the foundational principle of fair representation in a diverse country like India.
The controversy has also drawn strong reactions from regional leaders in the south. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin warned of large-scale protests if the state’s political influence is reduced through the delimitation process. Echoing similar concerns, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy termed the proposal “unjust” and called for wider consultations.
In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Reddy urged the Centre to convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the issue. He cautioned that a population-based increase in Lok Sabha seats, without factoring in economic contributions or developmental indicators, could create long-term imbalances in governance and representation.
Reddy also reached out to other southern leaders, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, seeking a coordinated response.
The Centre, however, has defended the move, with leaders of the ruling alliance backing the initiative as a necessary step toward implementing the women’s reservation law, formally known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The government has described it as a historic reform aimed at ensuring greater political participation of women.
Under the proposed plan, the strength of the Lok Sabha could be increased significantly—from the current 543 seats to as many as 850 following a fresh delimitation exercise based on the latest census data. Additionally, state assemblies and Union Territory legislatures would also see an expansion to accommodate a 33 per cent reservation for women.
Despite these objectives, the opposition remains unconvinced. Congress leaders argue that the intent behind the bills raises serious concerns about parliamentary democracy and constitutional principles. They have also questioned the timing of the bill’s release, noting that it coincided with the birth anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar, and described the provisions as contrary to his vision of constitutional morality.
With the special parliamentary session set to begin, the delimitation debate is expected to intensify further, setting the stage for a major political showdown between the government and opposition parties over representation, federalism, and democratic balance.