Responding to concerns of opposition parties, especially from southern states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it was his “guarantee” that an increase in Lok Sabha seats would not change existing proportions.

“The proportion of seats will not change; the increase will be in the same proportion. If you want a guarantee or a promise, I will say so. If there is some good word in Tamil, I will use it. When the intention is good, we do not need to play with words,” PM Modi said while participating in the debate on three bills tabled in the ongoing special session of Parliament.

Early on Thursday, Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Amit Shah tabled three bills – the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. 

Tabled during the ongoing three-day special session, the legislative package centres on providing 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. In addition, the constitution bill makes way for an increase in Lok Sabha seats from existing 543 to 815 members from the states and up to 35 from union territories.  

Southern states, however, have raised concerns saying that they will lose out if Lok Sabha seats are increased on the basis of population calculated in the 2011 census.

Among those who sought to clarify the government’s position and assuage these concerns was Home Minister Amit Shah. “Canards are being spread that these three bills… will reduce the........

© newslaundry