Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured that Lok Sabha seats will not be reduced in south Indian states that have successfully controlled population. He also said that the total number of seats will increase for the benefit of states across the country.
His comments came amid concerns that demarcation in southern states, which effectively control their population, would lead to fewer Lok Sabha seats.
Addressing an NDA election rally in Kerala, the Prime Minister said: “There are false rumors spreading that seats will be reduced in south Indian states due to population control, but this is absolutely not true. Parliament will take steps to ensure that its seats are fully protected.”
Referring to states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Telangana, the Prime Minister said those that effectively control population growth should not lose any Lok Sabha seats, despite low population growth rates.
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Parliament session resumes on April 16
PM Modi also informed that Parliament session has been extended till April 16-18 to discuss key legislation, including amendments to implement 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, which were adjourned on Thursday, will meet again on April 16 for three days to discuss legislation, including increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 to implement reservation for women, reports said.
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Congress claims that delimitation could reduce seats
Prime Minister Modi’s statement comes in the wake of a claim by Congress that southern states, which control their population, will be “penalized” with fewer seats.
In an interview with PTI, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said it is a “very big issue” and that, as it stands, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh could see a decline in their number of seats.
Following this, Ramesh later posted on X stating that the Central government is proposing to “bulldoze a bill to increase the size of the Lok Sabha by 50%”.
While the number of seats per state may be increased by 50%, the overall percentages may remain unchanged for now, Jairam Ramesh said. However, he warned that widening gaps in representation could hurt south Indian states in the long run.
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Representation of women in Parliament starting in 2029
Speaking about the target of the bill, the Prime Minister said that the government is focusing on ensuring 33 per cent representation of women in Parliament from 2029 onwards. He also urged all parties to support the bill.
He stressed the government’s focus on women’s empowerment.
The Prime Minister reportedly said: “The biggest beneficiaries of the NDA’s policies are women. Women’s empowerment and representation are our priority.” Referring to other women’s issues, the Prime Minister said the government “built toilets in every house, opened Jan Dhan accounts, and built houses in women’s names.”
Mudra loans have proven successful in helping women start their own businesses, as has the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ campaign, he added.
