TN House passes resolution to freeze Lok Sabha seats at 543

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, urging the Union Government to permanently fix the strength of Lok Sabha members at 543.

The resolution, which batted for the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the next Lok Sabha polls to be held in 2029, and in elections to legislative assemblies, was passed after an intense debate that went on for about two hours.

Underlining that “mothers and sisters” were a key reason for his growth in life, the CM said that 33 per cent reservation for women must not be delayed anymore.

He said: “We urge the Union Government to implement the 33 reservation for women without further delay. This is not a concession for women; it is their democratic right. This is not a victory for one person; it is a victory for Indian democracy.”

Providing a background to the delimitation issue, including the defeat in April of the Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament, the resolution said that if delimitation is carried out based on any census taken after 1971, the parliamentary representation of southern States, including Tamil Nadu, which have effectively controlled their population, will be permanently affected.

“As per the assurance given by the Union Government, it is its primary duty to ensure that no State that has efficiently implemented population control programmes, achieved good economic growth, and carried out proper healthcare and public welfare schemes is adversely affected by the delimitation.” The resolution urged the Centre to make permanent the existing strength of Lok Sabha at 543 and “to maintain the inter-state distribution of seats permanently, to maintain the current LS–RS ratio at 2.2:1.  

“The existing number of seats in the Lok Sabha allocated to the States should be made permanent at the current level, ie proportional distribution among the States,” according to the resolution.

Simultaneously, 33 per cent women reservation should be implemented in the 2029 polls to the Lok Sabha, without delay, based on the existing 543 LS seats.

Vijay said although a law providing one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures had been passed, the delay in implementing it makes the objective unfulfilled and denies women their political rights. Therefore, reservation for women should not be postponed by linking it to the census and delimitation. “The Government of Tamil Nadu urges the Union Government to take appropriate measures to implement the reservation swiftly,” he said.

The resolution wanted the women reservation to be effective in the next LS polls and subsequent polls to the legislative Assemblies.

Main Opposition DMK, ruling TVK’s friendly parties — the CPI and CPI-M — supported the resolution.

Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, said pioneering initiatives were undertaken by his party over the years in order to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu in the matter of delimitation.

“The DMK was the first to point out the great danger if delimitation was done on the basis of the current Census,” he said, adding that the defeat of a bill related to delimitation in April in the Parliament was due to the DMK’s stiff opposition.

He said: “It is expected that the Centre may reintroduce a bill for delimitation...if delimitation is proposed to be carried out for the sake of the Women’s Reservation Bill, it should strictly be based on the 1971 population. Should there be any change, we must not allow Tamil Nadu’s proportion/representation of MPs in Parliament to be reduced below its current 7.18 per cent.”

Ex-chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the AIADMK supports only the clause in the chief minister-moved resolution that demands reservation for women. Palaniswami underscored that “while there is no indication of a bill on the delimitation getting introduced in Parliament, it is our view that the TVK regime has hurriedly proposed this resolution for political reasons.”

“AIADMK opposes this resolution as nothing is known if the proposed delimitation will have a beneficial or adverse impact for Tamil Nadu. At the same time, we support quota for women reservation,” Palaniswami said. PMK, an NDA constituent, opposed the resolution and urged that it be withdrawn.

BJP’s lone member M Bhojarajan said the Centre’s delimitation initiative was considering the future generations’ welfare.

On delimitation, DMK’s ally DMDK MLA Premalatha Vijayakanth said there was scope for more women MPs getting elected if the number of MPs were to be increased. However, an assessment of the matter would be appropriate only after the Centre introduces a Bill in this regard, she said.

Minister Vanniarasu (VCK) said any initiative of the BJP-led Centre must be viewed wearing the “glasses of Periyar EVR or Dr BR Ambedkar to see through the conspiracy.” Minister A M Shahjahan (IUML) welcomed the move, saying it is based on the principle that prevention is better than a cure.

M Thamimun Ansari (elected on DMK symbol; Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi chief), proposed an amendment seeking internal reservation for SCs/OBCs in women’s reservation.

On August 8, a Vijay-led meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs belonging to the alliance and friendly parties decided to oppose, in total, the proposed delimitation exercise of the Union Government.