NEW DELHI: As the opposition geared up for a joint meeting to take a collective view on the contentious delimitation bill on the eve of the special Parliament session, Congress Tuesday said the draft constitutional amendment bill doesn’t maintain state-wise proportionality of LS seats, and demanded that women’s quota be done on the existing lower House strength, implementable within a week. Congress’s view, coupled with TN CM Stalin’s “warning”, suggested the opposition may take a hostile stance on the govt agenda, even opposing bills. Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said, “The bill received Tuesday afternoon was bristling with errors. It is completely silent on the PM’s assurances on maintaining inter-state percentage parity. The delimitation commission, an external quasi-judicial authority, has nowhere been mandated to ensure this.” Inter-state parity refers to concerns that an increase in LS seats would hurt southern and smaller states – a point flagged by K C Venugopal. Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, “When the intent behind a bill is mischievous and content of it is devious, the extent of damage to parliamentary democracy is enormous.” DMK MP P Wilson said population criteria would “reduce southern states to politically irrelevant entities”. CPM MP John Brittas called it a strategy to reduce southern India to a “political colony of the north”. RJD MP Manoj Jha echoed similar concerns. Sources said all INDIA bloc parties will attend the meeting.
