Southern states will lose 26 seats in LS after delimitation: Chidambaram

Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his fear that if delimitation is conducted, Southern states will lose 26 seats in the Lok Sabha, and their voices will not be heard. 

P Chidambaram said, "Delimitation is a serious issue. It was frozen in 1971. A census taken after 2026 will lead to delimitation, followed by re-determination of the seats. According to our calculation, if it is redistributed according to current population of states, and the state's numbers are changed our southern states which have 129 seats will come down to 103. The five southern states will lose 26 seats, whereas the populous states where population is growing will gain seats, especially UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan." 

He further said that the Southern states have stabilised their population.

"Northern states have not stabilised the population and it will take time to stabilise. With 129, our voices are not heard in Parliament. In 103 it will become worst. We are opposing delimitation and re-determination based on current population. Tamil Nadu will lose 8 seats if 543 constituencies are divided according to the current population," he further said.

He said that the central government must start a dialogue on delimitation.

"Despite the Constitution saying that in 1977, we froze the population according to 1971. India's population will not be stabilised in 2026 and in another 30 years. The idea is to start a dialogue. The central government can't say that there will be no reduction. Even if Tamil Nadu's seats are at 39 and in UP it increases, whose voices will be heard? Southern states will lose their voice," he added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against Delimitation, calling for a Joint Action Committee meeting on March 22 to be held in Chennai, inviting representatives from various political parties to join against the "blatant assault on federalism."

"First JAC meeting in Chennai on March 22, 2025. Let us stand together not as separate political entities but as protectors of our people's future," MK Stalin wrote in a post on X.