'Delimitation won’t be based on 2011 census': Seats in all states to rise 50%, govt to tell Lok Sabha today

NEW DELHI: Govt is set to go beyond the drafts of the bills circulated among MPs to take head-on the allegation that the passage of legislations dealing with women’s reservation and delimitation would result in reduction of southern states’ share of Lok Sabha seats.

On Wednesday, when opposition parties joined forces to foil the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, govt was working on a statement to be tabled along with the bills.




The statement, govt sources said, will make it clear that the proposed delimitation exercise will not use the 2011 Census as the sole basis for determining allocation of LS seats among states. The delimitation will, instead, be done on the basis of a formula that proposes to increase the share of all states proportionately and by 50%, the sources said.

“Not just that, all states are going to gain, they will have more representation than what would have been possible after a delimitation based on the 2011 Census,” a source said.

Under the proposed scheme, the share of Tamil Nadu, for instance, will rise from the existing 39 to 59, instead of 49 as would have been the case if the state’s share were to be determined on the basis of the 2011 Census.

Under a formula that proposes to increase the share of all states proportionately and by 50% in Lok Sabha, Kerala's share will rise from 20 to 30, which is seven more than what it would have got under the last "finished" enumeration. Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will rise from 28 to 42, one more than what would have accrued.

Andhra Pradesh, which has 25 seats now, will have 37, again four more than its expected tally. Neighbouring Odisha's representation will rise from 21 to 31, whereas a Census-based exercise would have limited it to 28. Telangana's seats will go up from 17 to 25, in place of 24.

With opposition parties upping their ante on the issue, it remains to be seen whether the statement, detailing the gains and rebutting the argument that the bills would reduce the share of the south, will help govt find the numbers it needs in order to reach the two-thirds threshold for the passage of the constitutional amendment bill.

Govt sources, however, said an unambiguous statement that the 2011 Census would not be the basis for allocation of Lok Sabha seats and that reference to it was meant for the delimitation of constituencies of state assemblies, would certainly raise the cost for Congress and others should they decide to oppose the legislations meant for enforcement of women's quota in 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

"They've maintained that they are for women's quota, but are worried that the share of southern states in LS will come down. Once the facts have been laid out, they cannot hide behind the argument," said a govt functionary, adding that BJP was already preparing for a political battle that it would like to force on the issue of women's rights, if the bills don't go through in LS by Friday.
Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.