Controversy Brews Over Women's Reservation and Delimitation Bill

Brinda Karat of CPI(M) slammed the government's effort to link women's reservation with the contentious delimitation process, potentially skewing political representation. The proposal aims to increase Lok Sabha seats but concerns over gerrymandering and reduced southern state representation persist. The debate intensifies ahead of the 2029 elections.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Brinda Karat, has voiced strong opposition to the government's recent move to link the women's reservation bill with a delimitation amendment. The proposal involves increasing Lok Sabha seats to 850, raising fears of gerrymandering favoring the ruling party's interests.

Karat urged the Centre to separate the delimitation process from the women's reservation initiative, arguing that intertwining these issues could undermine equitable political representation. The proposal, tied to the 2027 census, would notably expand parliamentary seats but disproportionately affect southern states' representation.

Southern leaders, including Tamil Nadu's MK Stalin, have expressed concerns over potential regional biases. Karat highlighted the need for comprehensive discussion on these matters, while opposition parties criticized the proposal as a threat to the balanced representation of India's diverse states.

(With inputs from agencies.)