Delimitation – Supriya Sule Seeks Written Proposal Before Taking Official Stand
Delimitation –Opposition parties have urged the Centre to share the complete delimitation proposal in writing before any formal position is taken on the issue.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday shared details of a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where representatives from several Opposition parties were briefed on the government’s proposed approach to the delimitation process. Sule said the discussions were intended to gather feedback before moving ahead with the legislation in Parliament.
Opposition Leaders Briefed on Proposed Formula
According to Sule, she attended the meeting alongside Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha leader Arvind Sawant and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi after they were invited to New Delhi. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also participated in the discussions and explained the broad framework of the proposed Bill before Amit Shah presented the government’s thinking on the matter.
Sule said the Union Home Minister suggested a formula under which the number of Lok Sabha seats allocated to each state could be increased by 50 percent from the current strength, instead of determining seat distribution solely on the basis of population. She indicated that the proposal was presented as a possible way to address concerns raised by several political parties.
Different Political Parties Expressed Varying Views
The NCP (SP) leader said Amit Shah informed those present that he had already held separate consultations with the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the DMK. During those meetings, the parties reportedly expressed differing opinions on how the delimitation exercise should be carried out and what principles should guide the redistribution of parliamentary seats.
Sule noted that the government appeared to be engaging with multiple stakeholders before introducing the legislation, but she stressed that further clarity would be required before her party could make an informed decision.
NCP (SP) Wants Written Copy Before Taking Position
Explaining her party’s stand, Sule said the NCP (SP) would not issue an official response until it receives the complete text of the proposed delimitation Bill. She maintained that a written document outlining the exact method for increasing Lok Sabha seats was necessary before any political party could evaluate the proposal in detail.
She also reiterated that her party does not support a system in which parliamentary seats are increased purely according to population figures, arguing that such an approach could place southern states at a disadvantage. According to Sule, any policy affecting parliamentary representation should ensure fairness and command broad acceptance across the country.
The MP added that the INDIA alliance would collectively deliberate on the proposal once the official draft is available. She said the alliance would take a final position only after studying the Bill and consulting its constituent parties.
Party Says It Is Open to Public-Interest Measures
Sule clarified that her party is not opposed to legislative reforms in principle. She stated that if the government’s proposal ultimately serves the public interest and is based on an equitable framework, the NCP (SP) would consider it objectively. However, she emphasized that transparency and detailed documentation remain essential before any endorsement can be given.
Sule Rejects Speculation Over Political Realignment
During her interaction with the media, Sule also dismissed speculation surrounding an alleged meeting involving senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil, NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai.
She said Patil’s visit had been scheduled in advance for matters related to his constituency and insisted that it had no connection with reports suggesting a possible merger of the two NCP factions or any move towards joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Sule described such claims as baseless and maintained that the meeting was purely administrative in nature.