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New Delhi: Like the sudden whim of demonetisation ten years ago, devaluing currency notes and living to regret it later, the Narendra Modi government has suddenly dropped a set of three bills – no consultation, no full information – bang in the middle of a busy election season. These bills link women’s reservation with an expanded Lok Sabha and fresh delimitation. Passing these three bills will have serious implications on the nature of India, in every which way.

The Wire busts some common myths floating about in the last few days.

This is a developing story – as the BS never seems to stop.

BS1: Those opposing this set of three bills are against women’s reservation

A constitutional amendment to implement women’s reservation was passed in 2023. Unanimously. This bill is a sudden whim.

BS2: If these bills fall, we are failing women’s reservation

If these bills fall or are withdrawn, nothing happens.

Women’s reservation will still go through, it is the law.

It will kick in once the census 2026 numbers are in. The census has started, by the way.

BS3: Delimitation (by a crude population rise measure) does not hurt any state

It is clear that if the 2011 census is the base for calculations for drawing new constituencies, then states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, North east, virtually all states – except Hindi speaking ones of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Delhi, will lose, proportionately. This means, even if their number of seats rise nominally, they lose the share of their voice in the Lok Sabha.

Data Projection and........

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