An all-party meeting led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin convened on Wednesday, where a resolution was unanimously adopted, urging the Union Government to retain the current number of Lok Sabha seats for the next 30 years. The resolution expressed strong opposition to any delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on population figures, warning that such measures would adversely affect Tamil Nadu and other southern states that have effectively implemented population control initiatives.
The meeting was organized in light of the upcoming parliamentary constituency reorganization set for 2026. Chief Minister Stalin, in his opening remarks, underscored the risk of reducing Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha representation from 39 to 31 if delimitation strictly follows the latest population data. He argued that any reduction in representation would diminish Tamil Nadu’s political influence and compromise the state’s rights within the federal framework.
“It is profoundly unfair to diminish the parliamentary representation of southern states like Tamil Nadu, particularly when they have taken effective steps towards population control for the nation’s betterment. In 2000, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee assured that delimitation would be based on the 1971 census. This commitment should now be reinforced through a constitutional amendment for an additional 30 years,” the resolution stated.
The meeting’s resolution called on the Union Government to extend the existing freeze on delimitation, which was last promised in 2000, for another three decades. It also advocated that if the overall number of parliamentary seats is increased, southern states should receive additional seats proportional to their representation based on the 1971 population figures.
The all-party assembly clarified that Tamil Nadu does not oppose the process of constituency reorganization, but emphasized that it should not penalize states that have prioritized social and economic development over population growth. The resolution further proposed the formation of a Joint Action Committee comprised of representatives from parties across southern states to advance this issue and enhance public awareness.
