The problems of the Central Government seem to be increasing on the South Indian front. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who has already taken a strong stance against NEET and FCRA Bill, has now opened a direct front against the delimitation plan of the Central Government. On Wednesday, a new resolution was moved in the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the proposal to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats. During this, CM Vijay made it clear in blunt words that he will not allow the Central Government to increase the Lok Sabha seats at the cost of the political rights and interests of South India.
Tamil Nadu government's blunt demand – 'Seats should be kept frozen only on 543'
The Tamil Nadu government has put forward a clear demand to the Central Government that the total number of Lok Sabha seats in the country should be permanently frozen at 543. This resolution brought in the Assembly states that Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states have implemented population control very effectively by following the national policies sincerely. In such a situation, if Lok Sabha seats are increased only on the basis of increasing population, then the representation of Tamil Nadu and entire South India in the Parliament will be weakened forever, which will not be tolerated at any cost.
Strong opposition to the proposal to increase 850 seats
The Tamil Nadu government argues that increasing the Lok Sabha seats from 550 to 850 on the basis of 2011 census data would be grossly unfair to the states which have best adapted to the Centre's family planning and population control programmes. In this resolution, protecting the interests of the southern states is the main responsibility of the Central Government and it is said that it is the duty of the Center to ensure that no state of South India suffers political loss due to the process of delimitation.
Chief Minister Vijay's big statement regarding women's reservation
While presenting the proposal, CM Thalapathy Vijay also openly expressed his views on the issue of women's reservation. He demanded that 33 percent reservation for women should be implemented according to the existing number of Lok Sabha seats. He said that in the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha elections, women should get 33 percent reservation on the basis of existing 543 seats and there should not be any further delay in it. He also emphasized that in Tamil Nadu, women have voted in greater numbers than men, hence giving women their rights is not a concession but a direct matter of social justice.
Four big demands placed before the central government
Through this important proposal, the Tamil Nadu government has placed four main demands before the Centre. The first is that the total strength of the Lok Sabha should be permanently maintained at the present 543 seats. The second demand is that the mutual distribution of Lok Sabha seats among the states should be frozen only on the basis of the existing representation ratio. Further, the existing 2.2:1 ratio between population and states has been sought to be maintained. Also, the fourth demand is that in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, women should be given the benefit of 33 percent reservation on the basis of the existing 543 seats.
What is the whole controversy of Delimitation Bill?
It is noteworthy that earlier on April 16, the Central Government had called a special session of the Parliament and introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. The main objective of this bill was to increase the number of members of the Lok Sabha to 850 and to implement the Women's Reservation Act passed in the year 2023. However, this bill could not get the required two-thirds special majority in the House, due to which this bill could not be passed. Many other opposition parties of the country including Congress are continuously demanding that women's reservation should be completely separated from the process of delimitation and implemented immediately.