Apart from the three-language formula, delimitation of parliamentary constituencies is the other contentious and controversial issue now. How long the debate and rhetoric on language last beyond the ongoing Lok Sabha session needs to be seen, but the delimitation conundrum is a highly argumentative and confrontational issue that is not going to die down soon.

This is because chief ministers of the southern states see the Narendra Modi government moving towards delimitation before the 2029 general election. Their concern is that the populous northern states will get more Lok Sabha seats at their cost.

The delimitation issue has triggered sharp reactions, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK chief minister, M.K. Stalin, has called for a Joint Action Committee of MPs and party representatives from southern states.

An all-party meeting convened by Stalin on March 5 asked the Union government to suspend the delimitation exercise scheduled for 2026 and freeze the numbers and state-wise distribution of Lok Sabha seats for another 30 years. Stalin also proposed that if the number of parliamentary seats increases, it should be done based on the 1971 census.

Delimitation has been a serious and permanent concern in the South for decades. The southern states have been complaining that they are penalised for their efforts on population control, which has resulted in the reduction of their relative shares in central taxes.

Now, in the event of a fresh delimitation based on the post-2026 census, they will lose their relative share in parliament representation as well. Their concern about delimitation is that it represents both economic and political marginalisation of the South — of being taxed more,........

© Free Press Journal