Tamil Nadu CM Vijay softens delimitation stand, seeks no loss for South in Lok Sabha

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday warned that population-based redistribution of Lok Sabha seats could diminish the collective voice of the southern states, which have successfully stabilised their populations.

He urged the Union government to provide a "clear legislative assurance that no State will suffer a reduction in its percentage of representation in Parliament on account of its success in population stabilisation,"

These statements, made at the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council at Kovalam, are being viewed as a softening of his stance on delimitation, moving from a demand to permanently freeze the Lok Sabha at 543 seats and retain the existing state-wise distribution to a broader demand that no State should lose its percentage share of parliamentary representation because of population stabilisation.


Vijay did not repeat his Assembly demand for permanently freezing the Lok Sabha at 543 or for permanently retaining the existing state-wise allocation. This is significant as it means the August 12 position effectively ruled out any change in the size or present inter-State distribution of the Lok Sabha. However, the August 20 formulation could allow the House to be expanded or its allocation altered, provided no state's percentage share is cut.

CM flags Cauvery Rights

The Tamil Nadu chief minister, who is the vice-chair of the Council, also brought up the Cauvery dispute and said upstream interventions that could affect another state's rightful share must proceed only within the legal and institutional framework.

With TN being the lower riparian state, he stressed that its rights and assured river flows must be protected. He said the Supreme Court's judgment, tribunal awards and orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority must be implemented "in letter and spirit", and specifically called for timely implementation of the SC judgment and the authority's decisions.