LIVE! Tamil Nadu meet: Freeze delimitation process for 25 years, says CM Stalin
JAC's resolution slated for submission to President, marking a critical step in articulating southern states' apprehensions at the highest constitutional level
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, concluded its inaugural meeting in Chennai on Saturday (March 22) with a unanimous call for transparency in the 2026 delimitation process and a 25-year extension on the current freeze on constituency delimitation based on the 1971 Census population figures.
In case you want to know what the issue is all about, here we have it all covered.
Based on the various points and scenarios put forward by the representatives during the discussions, the JAC unanimously resolved that:
- Any delimitation exercise carried out by the Union government should be transparent, enabling political parties of all states, their governments, and other stakeholders to deliberate, discuss and contribute in it.
- Since the legislative intent behind the 42nd, 84th and 87th Constitutional amendments was to protect/incentivise the states that would implement population control measures effectively and the goal of national population stabilisation has not been achieved yet, the freeze on Parliamentary constituencies based on the 1971 Census population should be extended by another 25 years.
- The states that have effectively implemented the population control programme and consequently whose population share has come down, should not be penalised. The Centre must enact necessary constitutional amendments for this purpose.
- The core committee, comprising MPs from the represented states, will coordinate the parliamentary strategies to counter any attempts by the Centre to undertake any delimitation exercise contrary to the principles mentioned above.
- The core committee shall submit a joint representation along the above lines to the prime minister during the ongoing parliamentary session.
- Political parties will initiate efforts to bring about appropriate Legislative Assembly resolutions in their respective states on the issue and communicate those to the Centre.
- The JAC will also make necessary efforts to disseminate information on the history and context of past delimitation exercises and the consequences of the proposed delimitation among the citizens of their respective states, through a coordinated public opinion mobilization strategy.
The JAC's resolution is slated for submission to President Droupadi Murmu, marking a critical step in articulating southern states' apprehensions at the highest constitutional level. The next JAC meeting on delimitation will be held in Hyderabad, said Stalin.
JAC meeting
Fourteen leaders from at least five states attended the meeting and deliberated on the “threat” posed by the Lok Sabha seats delimitation exercise to states with high economic growth and literacy.
The chief ministers of Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab, Pinarayi Vijayan, Revanth Reddy, Bhagwant Singh Mann, the working president of Shiromani Akali Dal, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and the general secretary of Indian Union Muslim League Kerala, PMA Salam, were among the leaders who arrived in Chennai to take part in the meeting.
The DMK contacted seven states: Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, and Punjab. However, Trinamool decided to skip the meeting.
Also Read:
Discussion | Why is delimitation issue a federal flashpoint?
Live Updates
- 22 March 2025 3:22 PM
RSS: Are you genuinely concerned on delimitation?
RSS joint general secretary Arun Kumar on Saturday asked those discussing the delimitation process whether they have any political agenda or were genuinely concerned about it.
“In my opinion, those who are taking part in the discussions on the delimitation should introspect whether it's their political agenda or they are genuinely thinking about the interest of their region,” Kumar said during a press briefing.
“Let them (Stalin and others) think about it and you (media) should ask them if the delimitation process has actually started,” he added.
Kumar argued that the discussion should happen when the delimitation process starts and an Act is drafted.
“Neither has the census started nor has the discussion over delimitation been initiated (by the Centre). Even the Act has not been drafted yet,” he pointed out.
“I feel that one should avoid raising unnecessary doubts and suspicion. Trusting each other and taking everyone along is the essence of democracy. They (Stalin and others) should think over it,” Kumar said.
- 22 March 2025 3:18 PM
Delimitation based only on population cannot be fair: Jharkhand CM
A delimitation exercise based only on population cannot be fair and equitable, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said.
Soren supported DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s demand for setting up an expert panel to draw up the political and legal action plan over the Lok Sabha delimitation issue.
“I welcome the meeting called today by the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru MK Stalin Ji on the issue of delimitation. Restricting delimitation only on the basis of population cannot be fair and equitable,” Soren posted on X.
- 22 March 2025 3:16 PM
Delimitation meet done with eye on 2026 TN polls: Sitharaman
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has alleged that the DMK was raising “emotional” issues like “Hindi imposition” and Parliament delimitation as it had nothing to showcase as its own achievements before people during next year’s Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Slamming the state's law-and-order situation, she said there was “lawlessness”. Sitharaman targeted the ruling party over the Anna University woman student sexual assault case.
“What happened to that woman? Is the accused your party worker or not? Till date, what is the answer for the Kallakurichi incident?” she asked about the 2024 hooch tragedy that killed many persons.
She questioned the DMK as to what has its government achieved “distinctly” due to its efforts and wondered if it can mention any welfare measures brought to Tamil Nadu. “Nothing,” she said.
“So take up emotional issues to hide your inability, corruption...at least these are old issues, now TASMAC (irregularities) has come up. Just like how scams used to come out daily during Manmohan Singh (UPA) government, of which DMK was a part. Such tales are happening,” in the current dispensation in TN, she told a media interaction.
“So how to face 2026 polls? Take up delimitation,” Sitharaman said, slamming the DMK.
On the “Hindi imposition” row, she said she has seen the “false propaganda” since her school days.
- 22 March 2025 1:08 PM
Population-based delimitation will make southern states inconsequential: YS Sharmila
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila has said delimitation based on population would make southern states “inconsequential”, causing “irreparable loss”.
She vowed that such a prospect would not be accepted at any cost.
Sharmila asserted that such an exercise would strengthen “North India’s dominance in Indian polity at the expense of South India”.
She further emphasised that the southern states’ opposition to delimitation “is not about politics but a fight for people’s rights”.
The Congress leader noted that a situation should not arise where southern states contribute more revenue while northern states call the shots.
“We will not tolerate limiting the South under the guise of delimitation. We outright reject redistribution based on population,” Sharmila said.
Citing figures, she noted that if Parliament seats increase by 143 for Uttar Pradesh alone under the Centre’s existing proposal, the total increase for Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana combined would be only 144.
“Isn’t this discrimination? If the seat count for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar together rises by 222, while the entire South is limited to just 192 seats, isn’t this an injustice to South India?” she questioned.
Declaring full support for the southern states’ campaign against delimitation, Sharmila claimed that only a united fight could “teach dictator Modi a lesson”.
According to Sharmila, “the silence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, both NDA allies, on delimitation is a betrayal of the people”.
Similarly, she criticised YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s stance, saying it reflected his alignment with Modi.
Urging all political parties to set aside differences, Sharmila called on the TDP, Jana Sena, and YSRCP to join forces in opposing delimitation.
