Delimitation bill undermines federal structure, says Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has criticised the Centre's proposed Delimitation bill. He said it undermines federalism by penalising states that controlled population, like Kerala, and will give more Lok Sabha representation to northern states.

Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over the proposed Delimitation bill and said the legislation will undermine the federal structure in the country. Vijayan said there is a widespread suspicion that this move is aimed at converting the population advantage of northern states into greater representation in the Lok Sabha.

"There is widespread suspicion that this move is aimed at converting the population advantage of northern states into greater representation in the Lok Sabha, thereby consolidating political power for the long term. States like Kerala are likely to face the direct impact of this. States that have responsibly progressed in population control, education, healthcare, and women's empowerment are now being penalised. Reduced representation and allocation cannot be considered a fair federal arrangement. The message that "those who control population will lose, and those who do not will gain" is dangerous for the future of Indian democracy," Keralam CM said.

'Bill penalises states that followed family planning'

Terming the proposed legislation a "double standard", CM claimed that those states that duly followed the family planning policies will now face lesser representation in Parliament. "While those that lagged behind are being rewarded with increased representation," he said.

'Women's reservation used as a cover'

The Chief Minister said the Centre is using women's reservation as a "cover", a move he called a shortcut to legitimise their own political dominance. "Using issues like women's reservation as a cover for such changes appears to be driven by narrow political interests. While ensuring political representation for women is essential, denying states equality and justice under the pretext amounts to nothing less than an erosion of democracy. Democracy is not merely about numerical majority; it must be rooted in justice and balanced representation. In a federal India, all states must be ensured equal respect and reasonable representation. Otherwise, the delimitation bill will be seen as a shortcut to legitimise political dominance," he said.

Keralam CM said the Central government must withdraw from this anti-democratic move.

Delimitation and Women's Reservation Bill

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women legislators, is linked to the delimitation process in the Lok Sabha. The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

According to sources, the government has proposed to increase the number of seats in the House to 850, with 815 seats proposed for the States and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats at present. (ANI)

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