DMK opposes 'facade' of linking Delimitation to Women's Bill: Karti

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram states that while DMK supports the Women's Reservation Bill, they oppose linking it to the Delimitation Bill, calling the government's move a 'facade' and a 'manoeuvring' to bulldoze other legislation.

DMK Opposes Linking Bills to Delimitation

Asserting that DMK always supported the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress leader Karti Chidambaram on Friday said that "bringing the delimitation Bill as a facade" and bulldozing the other bill is a "matter of concern" and they are opposing only that. He added that they were the ones who had given the right for a property for women way back in 1989.

Speaking to reporters from the Parliament premises, he said, "DMK has always supported the Women's Reservation Bill, and we were the ones who had given the right for a property for women way back in 1989 and in the local board reservation, our present Chief Minister has given 50% reservation. So there is no doubt, doubt about that we offer it. But this manoeuvring, or this making, bringing the delimitation in the gar of the women's reservation, well, having this as a facade and bulldozing the other bill, that is a matter of concern, and we are opposing only that."

Further, he took a jibe at the Central government over the proposed Delimitation Bill, saying it is akin to a "sales pitch" of an insurance sales match, with the oral assurances not matching the "fine print" of the Bill. "The delimitation 'sales pitch' by the government is like that of an insurance salesman, they say one thing & the fine print says something else," Karti Chidambaram wrote on X.

Government Rebuts Concerns Over Southern States

Chidambaram's comments come a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the debate on the bill, where he said that a false narrative is being created that the proposed delimitation exercise will harm the representation of Southern states in parliament. "The biggest narrative being created is that these three bills, the Constitution Amendment Bill, bill on delimitation, and changes to the constituency election law, will harm the power of the South," he said.

"If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76%. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97%," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier sought to allay apprehension of opposition parties over the delimitation of constituencies and the "proportionate increase" in the strength of the Lok Sabha to implement the Women's Reservation Act from the 2029 polls.

Legislative Context of the Bills

Lok Sabha is set to continue discussion and vote on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them to 850.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha held a marathon 12-hour session to discuss the amendments to the women's reservation bill, which removes the need to implement the bill only after the census is conducted. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)