Editorial: Demarcation: Center needs to show more charm
The southern states feel that the new delimitation based on population and proportion will reduce their representation in the Lok Sabha.
Editorial: Demarcation: Center needs to show more charm: The question of re-delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies (technically known as ‘delimitation’) has led to a stand-off between the central government and the governments of the southern states.
The southern states feel that the new delimitation based on population and proportion will reduce their representation in the Lok Sabha. To consider such a possibility and formulate a common stand, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has called an all-party meeting on March 5. On the other hand, the central government says that the above meeting is absurd as no decision has been taken yet to fix the new delimitations and the whole matter is at a very early stage.
Despite this clarification from the center, if there is any unease in the southern states regarding the new delimitations, the reasons for it are very clear.
Tamil Nadu's population is estimated at 84.7 crore as per the 2024 estimates, while Uttar Pradesh's population is estimated at 257.0 crore. The last delimitation in 2002 gave Uttar Pradesh 80 Lok Sabha seats based on population and Tamil Nadu 39.
Bihar, whose land area is not even half that of Tamil Nadu, has been electing 40 Lok Sabha members due to its larger population. Similarly, West Bengal has 42 MPs in proportion to its population (103.5 crore), while its land area is half that of Karnataka (28 seats). If the new delimitation is based on population, the number of Lok Sabha members of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal will increase further, while the percentage of representation of the southern states will remain relatively low.
M.K. According to Stalin, the new delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies will be a direct blow to Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring states in terms of population. On the other hand, states like Uttar Pradesh already have a strong grip on the central government, which will be further enhanced by their greater representation in the Lok Sabha.
Mr. Stalin also believes that instead of praising Tamil Nadu and other southern states for implementing family planning programmes more effectively and contributing more to the Gross National Product (GDP), the Centre is preparing to punish them in the form of a new delimitation.
He was already engaged in mobilising public opinion against this ‘punishment’ and is now determined to turn it into a mass movement. The Chief Ministers of Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana have promised to support him in this task. Such factionalism is making a very important, but complicated, democratic task more complicated.
Warning against such a rally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday clarified that the proportion of seats in the southern states will remain the same as now if the number of Lok Sabha seats is increased through the new delimitation.
He called for keeping the new delimitation away from “narrow politics” and said that in view of the increase in the national population in the last 22-23 years and the need to give proper representation to women, increasing the Lok Sabha seats has become extremely necessary. Despite such promises and assurances, if politicians from the southern states have doubts in their minds, they should not be ignored.
Their grievances should also be taken into account. The southern share in central taxes is constantly increasing, while the contribution of Uttar Pradesh or Bihar is not commensurate with their representation in the Lok Sabha.
In such a situation, it is natural to accuse these states that while on the one hand they are thriving on the earnings of others, on the other hand they are also ruling over them and imposing their will. Such feelings can only be pacified with elegance and wisdom. It is unfortunate that Amit Shah and other central leaders are giving preference to showmanship instead of elegance and wisdom. This phenomenon is creating more complications.