Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has strongly criticized the Centre’s plan for delimitation, calling it a form of “political re-engineering” that disadvantages southern states. He expressed concerns over the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850 from the current 543, stating that this move would diminish the representation of southern states while favoring regions with rapid population growth. Shivakumar emphasized that linking women’s reservation in legislatures to delimitation or Lok Sabha seat expansion is unjust.
The Deputy Chief Minister clarified that the Congress party supports women’s reservation in legislatures, attributing this stance to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s advocacy. However, he stressed that the implementation of women’s reservation should not be tied to the delimitation exercise. Shivakumar urged the Union government to avoid using women’s empowerment as a pretext to advance what he views as an unfair political agenda. He criticized the lack of transparency and consultation in proposing significant changes to India’s democratic framework during elections.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining a balanced federal structure, Shivakumar underscored that India’s strength lies in equity rather than dominance or manipulation. He vowed that southern states would present a united front to safeguard the principles of federalism and prevent political marginalization. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had previously expressed reservations about the delimitation process, echoing concerns raised by Shivakumar.
In response to Siddaramaiah’s criticisms, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress of sowing division by framing the issue as a “North-South states” dispute regarding Lok Sabha constituency delimitation. Joshi refuted allegations that the BJP aims to bolster its presence in northern states through the delimitation process.
