Delimitation

From Big Tech's growing influence and Sharad Pawar's political calculus to the Congress' future and the rise of storyselling, here are today's top Opinion pieces.

Sharad Pawar is assessing whether he will still land on his feet if he jumps from the safe perch of INDIA to the NDA. Can a Great Betrayal be presented as a tactical move?

Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu says changed political circumstances in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal could help the NDA bring back the Delimitation Bill

The NDA is assessing its numbers in Parliament as it prepares to revive the Delimitation Bill, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage

India's widening fertility divide is set to influence politics, labour markets and economic growth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought to calm concerns over the upcoming delimitation exercise, assuring the Lok Sabha that “no injustice” will be done to any state.

Delimitation is back in focus as the Union government meets for a special Parliament session. But what does delimitation actually mean, and why is it triggering a North vs South political debate?

Today's BS Opinion wrap examines delimitation and federal balance, the BJP's Andhra Pradesh dilemma, shifts in Bengal politics, and Infosys's bet on sport-led branding

One cannot keep kicking two contentious cans down the road forever

A heated debate took place between home minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday as a special Parliament session was held to discuss Constitution Bill,

Parliament rejects 33% women's reservation Bill, as data shows persistently low representation of women in legislatures despite gains at grassroots levels

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the opposition parties defeated the delimitation bill in the Parliament on Friday to defend the "idea of India." Addressing a poll rally at Ponneri here, he said the BJP-led government at the Centre brought a new bill on April 16, and said they were trying to pass the women's bill, which he said was passed in 2023. "In the so-called Women's Bill, delimitation was hidden. The idea was to reduce Tamil Nadu's representation in the Union of India... the delimitation move by BJP was to weaken the strength of southern states, small states, north eastern states," he alleged. "We defeated in Parliament, a bill in which delimitation was hidden; we defeated it to defend the idea of India." Rahul added that India that is Bharat, is a union of states, and every single state should have a voice, be free to express itself, and protect its tradition.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the Centre of conspiring to change the federal structure of the country in the garb of women's reservation, asserting that the defeat of its bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law was a victory for the Constitution as well as opposition unity. She also demanded that the government implement the Women's Reservation Act of 2023 on the current strength of the Lok Sabha. "What happened yesterday was a big win for democracy. The conspiracy to change the federal structure (of the country) was defeated. It was a victory for the Constitution, opposition unity, and the country," the Congress general secretary said at a press conference. "When Home Minister Amit Shah was speaking in the Lok Sabha on Friday, he said the Congress will not be able to sit on the treasury benches for years, which shows their mindset," Priyanka said. "The whole conspiracy was to stay in power. They thought that if delimitation is not done now,

There are no easy solutions to the conundrum. The US system favours small Alaska over Texas. The former has a fraction of Texas's population, but both have the same number of Senators

Rahul Gandhi alleged delimitation is an attempt to redraw India's electoral map, warns it could reduce representation of some states; govt hits back, calls remarks 'misleading'

Delimitation will turn out to be "political demonetisation", senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Friday while slamming the government for linking women's reservation with the expansion of Parliament. Participating in a debate in the Lok Sabha on the three bills introduced for amendments in the women's quota law and setting up a delimitation commission, Tharoor said linking women's reservation with delimitation is to hold the aspirations of Indian women hostage to "one of the most contentious and complex" administrative exercises in the country's history. "Today we stand at a threshold where there is near unanimous political consensus in favour of women's reservation. Every major party realises that the time for tokenism is over and the era of collective partnership must begin and yet I am finding myself deeply perturbed by the legislative exercise before us," he said. "The prime minister says he has brought 'nari shakti' the gift of justice but he has wrapped it in barbed

As Parliament debates women's reservation, PM Modi says those opposing the bill will pay a long-term price, urging all parties to support greater role for women in policymaking

As the govt considers increasing Lok Sabha seats, concerns are rising in southern states that a population-based delimitation could reduce their share and alter India's federal balance

The opposition has raised concerns over the proposed changes, particularly the plan to redraw constituencies and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to a maximum of 850

The government has introduced bills on women's quota and delimitation in Lok Sabha, proposes increasing seats to 850; Opposition protests, calling the move 'anti-constitutional'