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 6:54 AM
BJP takes its own decisions, says Revanth Reddy
From the speech of Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy
''The BJP does not allow us to express our views; they make decisions based on their own thoughts.''
- 22 March 2025 6:50 AM
Population can't be sole criteria for delimitation, says Naveen Patnaik
From Naveen Patnaik's speech. (Former Odisha CM)
Through video-conferencing.
: ''This is a crucial meeting aimed at safeguarding democracy. Population should not be the sole basis for determining constituencies. Thanks to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin for organising this meeting.''
- 22 March 2025 6:43 AM
JAC is the beginning of a coordinated resistance: Pinarayi Vijayan
If our Parliamentary representation is further reduced, while our share of the nation's wealth continues to decline, we will face an unprecedented situation in which both our rightful share of funds and outer political voice to demand them diminishes simultaneously. It is in the recognition of the gravity of this issue that we, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab are now uniting in protest. We are gathered here at the invitation of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin to mark the beginning of our coordinated resistance by forming a Joint Action Committee. The Union Government's actions from fiscal policies to language policies to cultural policies to now even the fixation of representation are destabilising India's federal system and democratic framework. This cannot be allowed to pass: Pinarayi Vijayan
- 22 March 2025 6:41 AM
Our states are now set to be punished precisely for our sincere implementation of the National Population Policy of 1976. When a state faithfully implements a nationally regularised policy, it deserves special consideration for that very reason. Not only is this consideration being denied but we are even being penalised for fulfilling our duty to the nation. This is the crux of the current issues: Pinarayi Vijayan
- 22 March 2025 6:41 AM
Pinarayi: Decision on delimitation driven by narrow political interests
CM Pinarayi Vijayan says, "Proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies is hanging over our heads...Various reports indicate that the BJP-led Union Govt is going ahead with the delimitation process without any consultation. This sudden move is not driven by any Constitutional principle or any democratic imperative. But by narrow political interests. Delimitation process, if it is undertaken after the census, will lead to a large increase in the number of seats of northern states while there will be a significant reduction of the southern states in Parliament. This will suit the BJP as they hold greater influence in the north. If delimitation is carried out purely on the basis of population, then Kerala and other southern states will suffer as we have been bringing down our population since 1973 when the previous delimitation was carried out in which the number of seats in Lok Sabha was reorganised."
- 22 March 2025 6:39 AM
What Modi, Shah said about delimitation in the past
During an event in Coimbatore, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated, "Tamil Nadu and other southern states will not lose parliamentary seats based on proportional representation." However, the home minister's explanation lacked clarity and seemed confusing.
In 2023, while campaigning in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked, "The Congress party advocates for a caste-based census to ensure representation for communities based on population. Following this, there will be a redistricting of constituencies. If the constituencies are redrawn based on population as suggested by Congress, southern states could lose 100 seats. Will the people of South India accept this?"
- 22 March 2025 6:34 AM
What TN CM Stalin says
From Stalin's speech: For the past two years, the state of Manipur has been engulfed in turmoil. However, the voices calling for justice are being ignored. This neglect arises from their lack of political power to capture the nation's attention. Consequently, we must view the reduction in the number of parliamentary constituencies or the diminishment of our representation as a direct threat to our political strength.
Due to the diminishing representation, our states will increasingly struggle to secure the necessary funding. Laws will be enacted without our consent, and decisions affecting our citizens will be made by those unfamiliar with our needs. Women will face setbacks in their pursuit of empowerment, students will miss out on critical opportunities, and workers will fall behind without support. Our culture, identity, and progress will be at risk.
- 22 March 2025 6:33 AM
BJP stages 'black flag' protests across TN against Stalin's JAC meet
The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP launched widespread protests across the state on Saturday, targeting Chief Minister MK Stalin and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation held in Chennai.
Party workers, led by state president K Annamalai and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, held demonstrations outside their homes, brandishing black flags to condemn what they described as the DMK government’s betrayal of Tamil Nadu’s interests.
BJP dubs JAC meet as 'political drama'
The protests, marked by fervent slogans and visible outrage, coincided with Stalin’s high-profile JAC meeting, where he called for a fair delimitation process to protect the state’s parliamentary representation. However, the BJP dismissed the meeting as “political drama,” accusing Stalin of creating an “artificial issue” for electoral gain while neglecting Tamil Nadu’s real challenges.
Speaking to the media, Annamalai asserted, “In the last four years after the DMK came to power, Tamil Nadu’s interests have been continuously sacrificed for political gain. The chief minister has never gone to Kerala to resolve issues like Cauvery and Mullaperiyar, but today, he invites the Kerala chief minister to discuss a fabricated delimitation concern.”
Annamalai further criticised Stalin for inviting Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, suggesting it was a strategic move against Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, intensifying the political rift.
Reject anti-Tamil Nadu agenda: Tamilisai
Tamilisai Soundararajan echoed these sentiments, alleging that the DMK’s alliance with INDIA partners has led to the exploitation of Tamil Nadu’s natural resources, including turning border districts into dumping grounds for Kerala’s medical waste. She urged the public to reject what she called the DMK’s “anti-Tamil Nadu agenda.”
The protests also targeted the DMK’s handling of key inter-state issues, such as the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar water disputes, with BJP leaders accused Stalin of prioritising political alliances over the state’s welfare. Annamalai referenced statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who clarified that the 2026 delimitation would be based on a pro-rata basis rather than population alone, countering the DMK’s objections as “nonsense.”
As Tamil Nadu braces for the 2026 delimitation exercise, which could potentially reduce its parliamentary seats due to population disparities with northern states, the BJP’s actions signal a deepening political battle. The party vowed to continue its agitation until the state’s rights are safeguarded, setting the stage for a heated confrontation with the ruling DMK ahead of future elections.
Report by Mahalingam Ponnusamy
