Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an all-party meeting to discuss the proposed delimitation exercise.
Kharge has urged the government to retain the Lok Sabha's existing strength of 543 seats for the next 25 years. He has also called for the current state-wise allocation of Lok Sabha seats to remain unchanged during the same period.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
The core issue is representation: The debate is not simply about the number of seats but about how parliamentary representation will be distributed among states.
Congress is seeking a consensus route: Kharge's demand for an all-party meeting puts political consultation at the centre of the issue.
The 543-seat demand is linked to federal balance: Retaining the present allocation would prevent an immediate change in the relative parliamentary weight of states.
Women's reservation is part of the same political debate: Congress wants the one-third quota implemented from 2029 while retaining the existing seat structure.
In his letter, Kharge said political parties and state governments should be given adequate time to study the government's delimitation proposals before they are brought before Parliament.
The Congress chief reiterated an earlier request made to the Prime Minister on July 16 for an all-party discussion on the issue.
Kharge's latest letter came after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju indicated in a television interview that another sitting of Parliament could be possible, although he did not confirm that the government was planning a special session.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Any change in Lok Sabha seat allocation could have long-term consequences for political representation across states. The issue is therefore likely to remain a major political and federal question as the government considers its next steps on delimitation.
Kharge has also sought implementation of one-third reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress has maintained that women's reservation should be introduced while retaining the existing strength and state-wise allocation of Lok Sabha seats.
The delimitation issue has become politically significant because any future redistribution of parliamentary constituencies could affect the representation of individual states.
The government has previously introduced legislation linked to delimitation and women's reservation, but the proposed changes did not secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha during the April special session.
Kharge has therefore called for broader political consultation before any further legislative move.
