- Bill proposes 50% Lok Sabha seat increase, impacting all states proportionally.
- 2011 Census won’t be binding, preserving southern states’ representation.
- Constitutional freeze on seat allocation from 1976 to be lifted.
The Centre’s proposed delimitation bill, aimed at facilitating the implementation of the 33 per cent women’s reservation, outlines a uniform 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states, while retaining existing proportions of representation.
According to government sources, the 2011 Census will not serve as a binding benchmark for the exercise.
“The 2011 Census will not be the binding factor. That means proportionally nothing changes. This will assuage the concern of southern states that their representation might drop,” sources told CNN-News18.
Officials emphasised that southern states would not face any disadvantage under the proposed framework.
“The existing proportions will be preserved, even as the overall strength rises by 50% to 850, with each state’s seat count increasing by a similar margin,” sources said.
Government Rejects ‘Misleading’ Claims
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there were attempts to mislead southern states over the proposal.
“If you go through the entire provisions of the bill, every state, region and community has been taken care of … In fact these southern states are fortunate that despite controlling population growth and having fewer people proportionally, they still gain,” he said.
End Of 1976 Freeze At Core Of Reform
A key element of the proposed changes is the removal of the constitutional freeze imposed in 1976, which halted the reallocation of parliamentary seats and the redrawing of constituency boundaries based on updated population data.
The Centre is set to introduce three bills during the special session of Parliament beginning April 16, outlining a framework to expand the total number of Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, with proportional increases across states.
Lok Sabha Strength Could Rise To 850
If the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 is passed, the strength of the Lok Sabha could increase significantly from the current 543 seats to as many as 850.
At present, the Constitution caps the House at 550 members. The proposed amendment seeks to raise this ceiling to 815 MPs from states and 35 from Union Territories.
The expansion is expected to reduce the geographical size of constituencies, potentially making representation more granular.
Multiple Routes For Implementation
Sources indicated that the model could be implemented through several approaches, including amendments to constitutional provisions governing seat allocation and delimitation, extending the current freeze on redistribution, or directing the Delimitation Commission to focus on increasing seat numbers without altering the existing inter-state balance.
Why Southern States Raised Concerns
Southern states had earlier expressed apprehension that a population-based delimitation could lead to a reduction in their representation in Parliament.
The concern was framed as a “penalty for success”, given that these states had effectively implemented population control measures, while several northern states witnessed higher population growth.
They also linked the issue to fiscal implications, noting that population is a key parameter in the Finance Commission’s formula for allocating central funds. A population-based redraw, they feared, could skew resource distribution in favour of more populous states, potentially reducing their share of tax revenues despite contributing more to the national GDP.
