Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to back the Delimitation Bill, emphasizing its focus on empowering women without bias towards any region. Athawale highlighted that the Bill aims to reserve around 273 seats in Parliament for women, out of a total of 543 seats. He assured that the proposed increase in Lok Sabha seats is not meant to disadvantage southern states but to enhance representation by reducing constituency sizes.
Athawale, representing the Republican Party of India within the NDA, emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting women under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He urged Stalin to support the Bill, citing historical NDA ties and the potential benefits for women nationwide. The proposed expansion of Lok Sabha seats to approximately 850 is part of the plan to implement the Women’s Reservation Act before the 2029 general elections, with a significant portion reserved for states and Union Territories.
The Centre’s proposal for increasing Lok Sabha seats has sparked concerns in southern states regarding potential reduced representation due to population-based delimitation. Athawale reassured that the move is not targeted at Tamil Nadu or South India, emphasizing that smaller constituencies would ensure better representation. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also addressed misinformation surrounding the issue, stressing the importance of unity among political parties in supporting women’s reservation without political manipulation.
