New Delhi: A heated debate erupted in Parliament over the Women’s Reservation Bill as the issue of seat delimitation triggered a sharp confrontation between the government and the opposition.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah strongly refuted allegations that the government is attempting to gain political advantage ahead of the 2029 general elections. Addressing the House, Shah explained the “850-seat formula” and dismissed concerns raised by opposition parties.
The opposition has accused the government of linking the Women Reservation Bill with delimitation to benefit politically, particularly favoring Hindi-speaking states. They argued that population-based delimitation could marginalize southern states and weaken the federal structure.
However, Amit Shah countered these claims, stating that misinformation is being spread, especially in southern India, suggesting that their representation would decline. He clarified that, on the contrary, southern states are expected to gain additional seats.
According to Shah, Tamil Nadu could receive around 20 more seats, Kerala 10, Telangana 9, and Andhra Pradesh approximately 13 seats after delimitation. He also noted that Maharashtra, currently the second-largest contributor of MPs after Uttar Pradesh, could see an increase of about 24 seats.
The Home Minister stated that the proposed delimitation exercise would be based on the 2011 Census, and the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase by nearly 50%, reaching around 850 seats. He emphasized that this move aims to enhance representation across all regions of the country.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders maintained that they support women’s reservation but oppose linking it with delimitation. They insisted that both issues should be handled separately to ensure fairness.
Responding to these concerns, Shah reiterated that the government’s intention is not to disadvantage any region but to ensure balanced and broader representation across India. He assured that no state would suffer losses under the proposed plan.
