ConstitutionAmendment – Chidambaram Urges Regional Parties to Reject Proposed Delimitation Bill

ConstitutionAmendment – Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has appealed to the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) not to support the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, arguing that the legislation goes beyond its stated objective and could significantly reshape the country’s electoral framework.

Chidambaram Questions Need for Fresh Constitutional Amendment

In a statement shared on social media on Tuesday, Chidambaram claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to reintroduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament after a similar proposal failed to secure approval in the previous session held in April 2026.

According to the former Union minister, the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act has already established the legal framework for providing one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. He maintained that another constitutional amendment on the same issue is unnecessary because the objective of women’s reservation has already been addressed through existing law.

Congress Raises Concerns Over Delimitation Process

While the proposed Bill is expected to include provisions related to women’s representation, Chidambaram argued that its broader purpose is linked to expanding the Lok Sabha and initiating a nationwide delimitation exercise. He expressed concern that such changes could alter the balance of parliamentary representation across states.

The Congress leader also suggested that the delimitation process, if implemented under the current formula, may disproportionately affect states that successfully controlled population growth in line with the National Population Policy. He said these states could end up losing relative political representation despite their policy achievements.

Appeal to NCP (SP) and DMK

Chidambaram further alleged that the BJP is attempting to secure additional parliamentary support by reaching out to regional political parties, including the NCP (SP) and the DMK. He claimed that both parties had previously opposed the earlier version of the legislation after recognizing its wider constitutional implications.

He urged them to maintain the same position if the revised Bill is introduced in Parliament. According to Chidambaram, changing their stand now would contradict the principles they followed during the earlier debate and weaken their previous objections to the proposal.

Political Debate Expected During Monsoon Session

The issue is likely to become one of the major points of discussion during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, scheduled to begin on July 20. The government is expected to table the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposes increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha from its current level to 850 seats while beginning the process for fresh delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

Supporters of the proposed legislation argue that expanding the number of seats would better reflect India’s growing population and improve representation. However, opposition parties have continued to express concerns about how the redistribution of constituencies could influence the political balance between different regions.

States’ Rights Remain Central to Opposition Argument

Reiterating his position, Chidambaram emphasized that any changes affecting the distribution of parliamentary seats should be carefully examined to ensure fairness among all states. He said federal principles and the rights of states should remain protected during any constitutional restructuring linked to delimitation.

With the government expected to move forward with the legislation in the coming session, the proposed amendment is set to trigger extensive debate among political parties over representation, federal balance, and the future structure of India’s electoral system.