M.K. Stalin's All-Party Meeting (March 5): Tamil Nadu's CM has called for a national debate on the delimitation process, which hasn't seen an increase in seats since 1973.
Delimitation was frozen after the 1971 Census to prevent States with higher population growth from gaining more representatives.
84th Constitutional Amendment states that delimitation will be based on the Census after 2026. The delayed 2021 Census has raised concerns about its timing.
Some fear the Union government is delaying the Census to enable earlier delimitation.
Tamil Nadu worries it could lose parliamentary representation if delimitation is based solely on population growth, especially compared to faster-growing states like Bihar.
From 1971-2024, Tamil Nadu's electorate grew by 171%, while Bihar's grew by 233%. Both states currently have similar MP numbers, but delimitation could change this.
Home Minister Amit Shah assured Southern States' representation would not be reduced, but the details remain unclear.
Increased populations in North India could lead to more seats, but maintaining federal balance is crucial.
The Census must be expedited to avoid suspicions that its delay is to push for a controversial early delimitation. Accurate population counts are vital for fair representation.
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