Stalin claims Tamil Nadu could lose 8 Lok Sabha seats to delimitation, calls for all-party meeting

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced an all-party meeting on March 5 in Chennai to discuss the impact of the proposed nationwide delimitation exercise, which he claimed could cost his state eight Lok Sabha seats.

“As of now, Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats,” the chief minister was quoted as saying by The Hindu. “The delimitation exercise is likely to reduce the number of Lok Sabha seats to 31. It is not just a reduction in numbers. It is about our rights. The voice of Tamil Nadu is being suppressed in the name of delimitation. Transcending political differences, everyone should come together and raise our voice.”

Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha constituencies. Article 82 of the Constitution states that after every census is completed, the allocation of Lok Sabha seats to each state must be adjusted based on changes in their population.

The composition of the current Lok Sabha is based on the 1971 census. According to the 84th Amendment Act of 2001, the constituency boundaries were frozen until the first census after 2026, which would be due in 2031.

However, southern states have expressed concerns that population-based delimitation could give an undue advantage to northern and central states in the Lok Sabha.

On Tuesday, Stalin said: “Tamil...

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