'Proportional Representation Of States Won't Change': Kiren Rijiju Clears The Air On Delimitation

Last Updated:April 16, 2026, 11:19 IST

Rijiju accused the opposition of politicising the matter and emphasised that the proportional strength of southern states would remain unchanged after the delimitation.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has asserted that the proportional representation of all states will remain the same even after the government’s bills on delimitation and Women’s Reservation are passed in the Parliament amid concerns over the delimitation exercise.

In a three-day special parliamentary session, the Centre is aiming to operationalise the Women’s Reservation Bill, granting 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies from 2029. It also seeks to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes the increase of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, which will allow the Centre to form a commission to redraw constituency boundaries based on the latest Census figures.

However, southern states have opposed the move for delimitation amid fears that their seat share could drastically reduce due to lower population, while those of northern states could increase. Southern leaders fear they will have less say in choosing the Prime Minister or passing national legislation if a few northern states can form a majority on their own.

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Kiren Rijiju On Delimitation

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Rijiju accused the opposition of politicising the matter and asserted that women’s reservation cannot be equated with any kind of political agenda or used for political benefits.

“Proportionately, the representation from the states will remain the same. It will be clearly stated when the bill is introduced. The proportionate thing is based on the population within the state," he said. “Once it is decided by Parliament that the representation will be proportional to the existing ratio and the percentage and the increase is 50%, then it applies for Lok Sabha and the assembly seats."

When asked about the opposition’s reaction to the bill, Rijiju said, “They will not be able to oppose it, otherwise they will have to live with the black spot of having blocked the reservation. It’s not a question of confidence. It’s a question of commitment. It’s a national commitment."

ALSO READ: 33% Women, 850 Seats & 100% Gain: How 50% Delimitation Formula May Actually Give South More Seats

He further said that southern states should be happy as they are not losing any seats. “They are not penalised for reducing the population; rather, it has been retained. The ratio of increase and the percentage of their share in the total seats will remain the same."

The government had earlier clarified that the delimitation exercise would create no disadvantage for southern states. The headline number will rise by 50% to 850 and that number for each state will also rise by 50%. However, the INDIA Bloc has argued that the process weakens the representation of the southern and north-eastern states in the Lok Sabha.

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