- Vijay introduced resolution against Union government's proposed Lok Sabha delimitation exercise
- Resolution urges fixing Lok Sabha strength permanently at 543 seats to protect southern states' representation
- Resolution demands 33% women's reservation in 2029 elections based on current 543 constituencies without delay
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Wednesday introduced a resolution in the Assembly against the Union Government's proposed delimitation exercise, urging the Centre to permanently fix the strength of Lok Sabha at 543.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 16 to expand the Lok Sabha's strength to 850 seats and expedite the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023. However, the bill was not passed, as it failed to secure the constitutionally required special two-thirds majority of members present and voting in Parliament.
The Tamil Nadu resolution seeks to protect the political representation of southern states, arguing that their success in population control should not lead to a reduction in their voice in Parliament.
The resolution points out that while a constitutional amendment bill proposes to increase the number of Lok Sabha members from 550 to 850 based on the 2011 census, such a move would be detrimental to states that have followed national directives on population management.
Through the resolution, the Tamil Nadu government has placed four major demands before the Union Government.
First, the total number of Lok Sabha members should be permanently retained at the current 543. Second, the inter-state allocation of Lok Sabha seats must be frozen based on the current proportion of representation. Third, the existing ratio of 2.2:1 between population and states must be maintained, and fourth, a 33 per cent reservation for women should be implemented in the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha elections based on the current 543 constituencies.
The chief minister said that 33 per cent reservation for women must not be delayed anymore and asserted that "reservation for women is not a concession, it is their democratic right".
"The 33% reservation for women should be implemented in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections itself, based on the existing 543 constituencies. The 33% reservation for women should not be delayed any further. In Tamil Nadu, more women have voted than men. Providing reservation for women is not a concession; it is a matter of social justice. The 33% reservation for women must be implemented without any further delay," Vijay said.
"We can't deny the important role women played in the past and present. Because of sisters, elders, mothers, I got this place,"he added.
Reacting to the resolution regarding delimitation, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the move aligns with the long-standing position previously advocated by the Dravidian party.
Elangovan recalled how similar measures in the past saved Tamil Nadu's political weightage.
"What happened last time, they had pegged the number of seats in each state to the existing number. That is why we still have 39. Otherwise, we would have lost seats even during the last delimitation," Elangovan said.
The DMK leader suggested that the resolution brought by Chief Minister Vijay mirrors the logic and demands already raised by his party.
"Maybe that is what he wanted now. So, what we said, he is following... They might have discussed what happened during the last delimitation process that should continue. Maybe that is the reason he is bringing in a resolution to that effect," he added.
While the Congress and the opposition parties have expressed support for the women's reservation bill, they opposed the delimitation exercise, seeking to increase the number of seats in the Lower House of Parliament. The Opposition has demanded delinking of women's reservation from the delimitation exercise.
