DELIMITATION CONUNDRUM

AMIL Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's all-party meeting has once again brought the vexed issue of delimitation in focus.

- PREETHA NAIR @New Delhi

AMIL Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's all-party meeting has once again brought the vexed issue of delimitation in focus. While the meeting on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to ensure that the 1971 Census should be the basis for the delimitation of the Lok Sabha seats for 30 years from 2026, it also condemned the impending delimitation exercise, saying that it will have significant impact on political representation and resource allocation of Tamil Nadu and other Southern states.

Why Southern States Demand 1971 Census The recent controversy stems from concerns that the upcoming delimitation exercise, likely based on the 2021 Census, will disproportionately benefit northern states with higher population growth rates. Southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, which have effectively controlled population growth, fear losing political representation.

However, addressing the concerns, Home Minister Amit Shah had recently said that the Southern states wouldn't lose seats after delimitations conducted on a pro rata basis. Citing several analyses, the CMs of the Southern states argue that if the delimitation exercise is based on the latest census, the southern states will be at a disadvantage and will see either a reduction or stagnation in the number of Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, the northern states will gain a significant number of seats, they say.