PM Modi should give assurance for delimitation in Parliament, urge TN parties at meet
Exercise must use 1971 population or present set-up must be extended for 30 yrs, insist parties
Chief Minister MK Stalin and other political party leaders during the all-party meeting
CHENNAI: The much-anticipated all-party meet chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday unanimously resolved to strongly oppose the current population-based delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies, alleging that it threatens the country’s federal structure and political representation of Tamil Nadu and other southern states.
The meeting also insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must give an unequivocal assurance in Parliament that the 1971 population-based seat allocation will be extended for another 30 years or that the exercise will be undertaken as per the 1971 population.
Reading out the resolution at the meeting attended by 59 registered political parties in the State, Stalin said it was unfair to reduce the Parliamentary representation of Tamil Nadu and other southern states for effectively implementing population control measures.
“To encourage all the states to effectively undertake population control measures, PM Narendra Modi must give an assurance in Parliament to retain (freeze) the existing number of Lok Sabha seats for another 30 years, as done by former PM AB Vajpayee in 2001, calculating the LS seats on the basis of the 1971 population figures,” the resolution urged.
The meeting, at the State secretariat, also urged that if the existing number of Parliamentary seats were to be increased, the Constitution must be suitably amended to increase the representation of Tamil Nadu and other southern states in both Houses, commensurate with the existing framework, which was done on the basis of the 1971 population.
Reiterating that Tamil Nadu was not opposed to delimitation, the parties resolved that delimitation must not be a punishment for effectively implementing socioeconomic welfare schemes in the last 50 years.
The parties also resolved that the existing (7.18%) representation of Tamil Nadu in Parliament must not be altered under any circumstances. “A joint action committee of MPs of all southern states will be constituted to further the aforesaid causes and raise public awareness over the same,” the resolution read.
While the state BJP and its allies did not attend the meeting, BJP ally PMK, AIADMK, TVK and INDIA bloc parties, besides other registered parties attended.
