BJP’s delimitation move, a threat to Southern states

The BJP-led NDA government has mooted inter-State redistribution of Lok Sabha seats based on the 2011 Census.The Modi government circulated drafts of the Constitution Amendment Bill and Delimitation Bill; if proposals are accepted, the share of Lok Sabha seats of southern States will shrink. The Bills propose to increase the size of Lok Sabha to a maximum of 850 seats from the current 543. On expected lines, the Modi government has moved the proposal in the garb of expediting the implementation of 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies, without detailed consultation with all political parties.

It could have implemented the women’s reservation within the existing 543 seats of the Lok Sabha at present, but chose not to do so.
The Budget Session of Parliament is reconvening on Thursday (April 16, 2026) to consider the Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill and the Delimitation Bill.If these proposals are enacted, the Hindi heartland States will see their share of Lok Sabha seats rise from the current 38.1% to 43.1%, while the southern States will see theirs shrink from 24.3% to 20.7%.

The freeze on the readjustment of Lok Sabha seats written into Articles 81 and 82 was based on a political consensus negotiated by BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001 and enacted through a constitutional amendment. The Narendra Modi government is now proposing to remove that safeguard and effect an immediate redistribution of Lok Sabha seats based on the latest Census which, as of now, is that of 2011. Earlier, the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Punjab had demanded an extension of the existing freeze for another 25 years beyond 2026, a request that was ignored by Modi.

The only saving grace perhaps is that the Opposition’s support for the three Bills, is crucial as per the present arithmetic in Lok Sabha.  Under Article 368 of the Constitution, any amendment requires the support of two-thirds of the members present and voting. If all the members are present and vote, at least 360 must vote in favour to make the amendment legally tenable.

BJP’s nefarious designs is obvious from  the timing of the parliamentary session between April 16 and 29 , aimed at preventing MPs from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, engaged in election campaigns, from attending it.  Arguably, there is no urgency whatsoever, for convening the session. In Southern India, there is a widespread concern that the move is aimed at converting the political dominance of northern states, based on population, into increased Lok Sabha seats. Democracy is not merely about numerical majority but must be founded on justice and balanced representation.