Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The hum of anticipation and unease around the mammoth exercise of delimitation set the tone in the Lok Sabha during Parliament’s special session, as the debate over India’s representational future took centre stage. Leading the charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union home minister brought the issue to the floor while tabling the Women’s Reservation Bill, promising a 33% quota for women and pitching it as a step toward expanding representation in the world’s largest democracy.But the Opposition struck a discordant note. Leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav sharply questioned the BJP’s approach, warning against a sweeping overhaul of Parliament’s representational framework.Seeking to quell mounting concerns from southern states, PM Modi and Amit Shah assured the Lok Sabha that no injustice would be done to the region in the proposed delimitation exercise. The reassurance came even as the DMK led strong protests in Chennai, with demonstrators raising slogans and burning copies of the proposed bill.Addressing the House, Amit Shah dismissed fears of the South losing representation as “completely false”, asserting that the exercise would, in fact, expand both seats and influence. “The number of seats will go up and power will grow,” he said.Shah outlined that Lok Sabha representation for the five southern states would increase from the current 129 seats to 195, with their overall share rising marginally from 23.76% to nearly 24%.
Breaking it down, he said Karnataka’s seats would rise from 28 to 42, Andhra Pradesh from 25 to 38, Telangana from 17 to 26, Tamil Nadu from 39 to 59, and Kerala from 20 to 30.
The South after delimitation: What the maths shows
Karnataka
Karnataka currently holds 28 Lok Sabha seats, accounting for 5.15% of the House’s strength. After delimitation, the state is projected to see its seat count rise to 42. However, its overall share is expected to marginally dip to 5.14%.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha seats at present, making up 4.60% of the Lower House. Following the proposed expansion, its tally is likely to increase to 38 seats, with its share rising slightly by around 0.05 percentage points.
Telangana
Telangana currently has 17 seats in the Lok Sabha. Post-delimitation, its strength is expected to increase to 26 seats. Its share in the House is projected to edge up from 3.13% to 3.18%.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu, one of the largest contributors to the Lok Sabha, currently sends 39 MPs, holding a 7.18% share. After delimitation, its seat count could rise significantly to 59, pushing its share up slightly to 7.23%.
Kerala
Kerala currently elects 20 MPs to the Lok Sabha. This number is expected to increase to 30 after delimitation. However, its share in the House is likely to remain almost unchanged, dipping marginally from 3.68% to 3.67%.
