Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led a high-level political meeting on Saturday, bringing together leaders from various states to oppose population-based Lok Sabha delimitation. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting, held in Chennai, saw a unified stance against a move that, according to leaders, could unfairly reduce parliamentary representation for states that have successfully controlled population growth. Stalin emphasised that legal avenues would also be pursued to safeguard democratic representation.

Concerns Over Delimitation: A ‘Sword of Damocles’ Hanging Over the South

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the delimitation process, likening it to a "Sword of Damocles" hanging over southern states. He accused the BJP-led central government of making unilateral decisions motivated by political interests rather than democratic principles. He insisted that the Centre should engage in broader consultations before proceeding with such a crucial exercise.

Joint Legal and Political Strategy Proposed

During the meeting, Stalin proposed the formation of an expert panel, named the "Joint Action Committee for Fair Delimitation," to create a structured legal and political action plan. Stressing the importance of continued efforts, he stated, "We are not against delimitation, we are for fair delimitation. Continuous action is essential to establish rights."

Telangana CM: ‘South Will Not Accept This Move’

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy warned against implementing delimitation based on population alone. He argued that such a move would make southern states "secondary citizens," asserting that South India would not accept this approach. He also opposed any increase in Lok Sabha seats resulting from this process.

Karnataka Deputy CM and Punjab CM Raise Alarms

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar echoed similar concerns, alleging that the Centre was planning to reduce the parliamentary representation of southern states. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also took aim at the BJP, accusing it of manipulating seat allocation to favour states where it had electoral strength while cutting representation where it faced opposition.

"In Punjab, the BJP does not win. They do not have a single seat out of the (present) 13," Mann pointed out, questioning whether states were being punished for successful population control efforts.

Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik Calls for Nationwide Consultation

BJD President and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik emphasised the need for nationwide discussions on delimitation. Speaking virtually, he insisted that population should not be the sole determinant of parliamentary representation. He highlighted that states like Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Punjab had effectively controlled population growth and should not be penalised.

"If these states didn’t achieve population stabilisation, India would face a population explosion, derailing our developmental progress," Patnaik cautioned. He assigned senior BJD leaders Sanjay Das Burma and Amar Patnaik to represent Odisha at the meeting.

Demand for Clarity on Delimitation Process

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule called for greater transparency, stating, "Delimitation should be done, but in a fair manner. There is no clarity on the process, and we are concerned."

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh reinforced this argument, reminding that delimitation could not proceed without a fresh census. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee amended the Constitution in 2002, postponing delimitation until after the first census post-2026, which means 2031," he explained, adding that states with lower fertility rates should not lose parliamentary seats as a result.

BJP Dismisses Concerns, Calls Meeting a ‘Political Drama’

In response to the growing opposition, BJP leaders dismissed the concerns raised at the meeting. Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K. Annamalai led a black flag protest against the JAC gathering, calling it a "drama" aimed at diverting attention from real issues. "All our rights have been sacrificed by CM Stalin, so this black flag protest," he stated.

Former Governor and BJP leader Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan also criticised the meeting, alleging that opposition leaders were using the delimitation issue to shield themselves from corruption and governance failures. "Instead of calling this a delimitation meeting, it can be called a corruption-hiding meeting," she claimed. Annamalai further argued that no state, including Tamil Nadu, would lose parliamentary representation on a pro-rata basis.

A Landmark Political and Legal Battle Ahead

Despite BJP’s dismissal, opposition leaders framed the meeting as a historic moment in the fight to preserve federalism. In a social media post, Stalin declared, "Today will be etched in history as the day when states that have contributed to our nation’s development came together to safeguard its federal structure by ensuring #FairDelimitation."

With multiple states aligning against population-based delimitation, the debate over fair parliamentary representation is set to intensify in the coming months. The legal and political battle for "fair delimitation" is expected to shape India's federal structure in the years ahead.

Statements from Key Political Leaders

M.K. Stalin, Tamil Nadu CM:
"We are not against delimitation, we are for fair delimitation. Continuous action is essential to establish rights."

Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala CM:
"The delimitation of LS seats is hanging like the ‘Sword of Damocles.’ This move is not driven by constitutional principles or democratic imperatives but by narrow political interests."

A. Revanth Reddy, Telangana CM:
"If BJP carries out delimitation based on population, South India will lose its political voice and North will make us secondary citizens."

Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM:
"The BJP wants to increase seats where it wins and reduce them where it loses. In Punjab, they do not have a single seat out of 13."

D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Deputy CM:
"The Centre is planning to reduce the parliamentary representation of southern states."

Naveen Patnaik, BJD President & Former Odisha CM:
"States that worked hard to reduce their population growth rates should not be disincentivised. The Union government must hold discussions with all parties before proceeding with delimitation."

Other Political Reactions

Supriya Sule, NCP (SP) Leader:
"Delimitation should be done, but in a fair manner. There is no clarity on the process, and we are concerned."

Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP:
"Delimitation cannot be done without a fresh census. You cannot penalize states for success in family planning."

K. Annamalai, BJP Tamil Nadu Chief:
"This meeting is nothing but a political drama. No state, including Tamil Nadu, will lose seats on a pro-rata basis."

Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP Leader & Former Governor:
"This should be called a corruption-hiding meeting rather than a delimitation discussion."