New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The Central Government has pushed back strongly against allegations by Opposition parties, particularly the DMK, that southern states would face injustice in the upcoming delimitation exercise. According to official inputs, the proposed reforms are designed to expand representation across the country while ensuring equitable safeguards, including provisions for women and marginalised communities.

At the centre of the government’s argument is a significant expansion of legislative representation. The total number of Lok Sabha seats is proposed to increase sharply — from the current 543 to as many as 850 — once delimitation is carried out.

This expansion will benefit all states, including those in southern India, sources said. For instance, Tamil Nadu’s representation in the Lok Sabha is expected to rise from 39 seats to 59, countering claims that the state would lose influence.

What the government has made clear is that delimitation exercise will be conducted based on the 2011 Census. Government sources term the decision as a positive step that ‘ensures uniformity and avoids arbitrary redistribution’.

This principle will apply not only to parliamentary constituencies but also to state Assembly constituencies, which will similarly be redrawn using 2011 population data.

According to sources, the reforms include a substantial increase in the number of Assembly seats nationwide — from 4,123 to 6,186.

Moreover a 50 per cent increase in representation in legislative bodies overall will also be there. This expansion is being viewed as structural reform to “accommodate population growth and improve democratic representation”.

On the issue of women’s reservation, the government sources clarified that the framework would include “quota within quota” provisions.

This means vertical reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women will be ensured within the broader women’s quota, addressing concerns about equitable inclusion.

Seven Constitutional provisions are being amended as part of the reform package, including Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 332, 334, and 334A, officials said. This is aimed at enabling the changes in representation and reservation, they added.

The legislative push began with Union Ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Amit Shah introducing three key bills in the Lok Sabha — The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, The Delimitation Bill, 2026, and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. These aim to operationalise women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 general elections.

Government sources dismissed the Opposition’s criticism as politically motivated. In particular, they accused the DMK of attempting a “political stunt” to create a misleading narrative around regional imbalance, asserting that such tactics would not hold ground once the full details of the reform are understood.

The government maintains that the delimitation and reservation framework is both constitutionally sound. It is aimed at expanding democratic participation, rather than diminishing representation for any region, sources said.

–IANS

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