3 weeks ago
Tamil Nadu Assembly backs Vijay's resolution to freeze Lok Sabha
India's Parliament, called the Lok Sabha, currently has 543 seats divided among the states.
The leader of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, led his state's government to pass a special resolution.
The resolution asks the national government to keep the number of seats at 543 forever.
It also asks that the current share of seats for each state never changes.
Vijay and his supporters are worried that a new counting of seats could give northern states many more seats because they have more people.
That would leave southern states like Tamil Nadu with a smaller share of the seats.
The BJP, which runs the national government, disagreed with the resolution and voted against it.
The BJP says a new counting would let India have more representatives to help people.
The DMK party supported the resolution, saying the new counting would be unfair to the south.
Another party, the PMK, said the national government has already promised every state more seats, so there is nothing to fear.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a special resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urging the Centre to permanently freeze the Lok Sabha's strength at 543 and protect existing seat distribution among states.
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said the DMK and TVK are 'sailing in the same boat' and accused the DMK of being 'totally confused' on the delimitation issue.
The BJP opposed the resolution; MLA Bhojarajan said delimitation is required for more public representatives so they can serve society better.
DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan said delimitation 'isn't necessary' and claimed the four Southern states would get around 170 MPs while Northern states would get 680, leaving the South ignored.
PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani recalled Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance that fresh delimitation will increase Lok Sabha seats for every state by around 50 per cent while protecting Southern states' proportional share.
- Who
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who moved the resolution, and BJP, DMK and PMK leaders who reacted to it
- What
- The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a special resolution urging the Centre to permanently freeze Lok Sabha strength at 543 and protect the existing distribution of Parliamentary seats among states
- Where
- Tamil Nadu Assembly in Chennai
- When
- Wednesday
- Why
- Concern that a future delimitation exercise could reduce Tamil Nadu's and other Southern states' representation in Parliament
Anti-Delimitation Camp (CM Vijay, DMK, TVK)
Pro-Delimitation Camp (BJP, PMK)
Need for delimitation
Anti-Delimitation Camp (CM Vijay, DMK, TVK)
Delimitation 'isn't necessary'; the DMK wants existing constituencies to continue after the exercise and opposes any increase in seats.
Pro-Delimitation Camp (BJP, PMK)
Delimitation is required for more public representatives so they can serve society better, according to BJP MLA Bhojarajan.
Impact on Southern states
Anti-Delimitation Camp (CM Vijay, DMK, TVK)
The DMK alleges that the four Southern states would get only around 170 MPs versus 680 for Northern states, leaving the South ignored by whichever government is in power.
Pro-Delimitation Camp (BJP, PMK)
PMK cites Amit Shah's assurance that every state's Lok Sabha seats will increase by around 50 per cent while Southern states' proportional share is protected.
North-South framing
Anti-Delimitation Camp (CM Vijay, DMK, TVK)
The DMK argues that Tamil Nadu and other Southern states will lose from the delimitation exercise and be ignored by future governments.
Pro-Delimitation Camp (BJP, PMK)
BJP says calling delimitation a 'north-south conflict' is not good; India is one nation despite different cultures and the Centre will not create divisions.
Key facts
- Resolution
- Special resolution urging a permanent freeze of Lok Sabha strength at 543 and protection of existing seat distribution
- Moved by
- Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay
- Passed by
- Tamil Nadu Assembly
- Supported by
- DMK
- Opposed by
- BJP and PMK
- Context
- Concerns over a future delimitation exercise
- Location
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- PMK's cited assurance
- Amit Shah said every state's Lok Sabha seats would rise by around 50 per cent with Southern states' proportional share protected
Quotes
Narayanan Thirupathy
BJP spokesperson for Tamil Nadu
“"Delimitation is ‘unfair’ because if it is introduced, all the four Southern states will get around 170 MPs, and the remaining Northern states will get 680 MPs."”
thehansindia.com
“"Both DMK and TVK are sailing in the same boat, that is what we are saying, because the DMK is totally confused."”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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