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Stalin writes letter to 7 CMs on delimitation exercise: ‘Blatant assault on federalism’
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin alleged that the exercise punishes states that ensured population control and good governance.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Friday said that he had written a letter to his counterparts in several states and former chief ministers about concerns related to the delimitation exercise.
Stalin alleged that the delimitation exercise is a “blatant assault” on federalism, punishing states that ensured population control and good governance.
“The union government's plan for delimitation is a blatant assault on federalism, punishing States that ensured population control and good governance by stripping away our rightful voice in Parliament. We will not allow this democratic injustice,” Stalin wrote on X.
Stalin said that he has written to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, and Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi.
He also said that he has sent the letter to party heads in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal, Odisha and Punjab, calling for an “uncompromising fight against this unfair exercise.”
The delimitation exercise – originally scheduled for 2026 – redefines the number of representatives a state sends to the Lok Sabha based on population.
What Stalin said in the letter
In his letter to the chief minister, Stalin warned the exercise could diminish the influence of states like Tamil Nadu, which have successfully controlled their population, in shaping the nation's future.
Stalin also pointed out that the previous delimitation exercises were conducted in 1952, 1963, and 1973, but were frozen by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 until the first census after 2000. He added that the freeze was extended in 2002 until the census after 2026, reported ANI.
The chief minister said that if the exercise is based on population after 2026, states with better population control would face a reduction in parliamentary representation, which he called unjust.
Also Read | Delimitation row: MK Stalin demands 30-year status quo on Lok Sabha seats
He also said that the Narendra Modi-led Central government has not provided clarity on the matter, only offering vague assurances.
“The delimitation math is simple and sobering. Reports suggest that the delimitation exercise is being considered based on population, with two potential approaches. In the first case, the existing 543 seats could be redistributed among the states, and in the second case, the total number of seats could be increased beyond 800,” Stalin wrote. "In both scenarios, all the states that have successfully implemented population control measures stand to lose significantly if the exercise is based on post-2026 population."
He added that Tamil Nadu should not penalised for effectively controlling population growth and upholding national development goals, according to ANI.
"Despite the gravity of this issue, the Union Government has provided neither clarity nor any concrete commitment to address our concerns. Their representatives have vaguely stated that delimitation would follow a "pro-rata" basis, without explaining the base used for such pro-rata calculation as well as raising an empty rhetoric than no state will face a decrease in its seats," he said.
Also Read | Pushback from South on Hindi, delimitation grows
"When the very foundation of our democracy is at stake, can we accept such vague assurances? When our States' futures hang in the balance, do we not deserve transparent dialogue?"
In his letter, Stalin also requested other states to join the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on the issue. He also invited them for an inaugural meeting in Chennai on March 22, to plan a collective strategy to protect the interests of the states.
Last week, Union home minister Amit Shah sought to allay fears in Tamil Nadu, saying southern states will get a fair share of seats in the delimitation exercise.
He also assured that if there was any increase in seats during delimitation, the southern states would get an equal share.
