Congress leader Jairam Ramesh calls talk of 50% seat increase for all States an ‘optical illusion’
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has dismissed the proposal for a 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats as an 'optical illusion.' He argues that current constitutional frameworks make such a move legally problematic regarding state-wise seat distribution.
Why it matters
The debate over delimitation and seat distribution is a major constitutional issue that impacts the political representation of different Indian states.
The ongoing speculation that the government will suitably amend the legislative package comprising the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and the Delimitation Bill to ensure a proportionate 50% increase in the strength of each State in the Lok Sabha, in order to address the concerns of its allies, is only an “optical illusion”, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told The Hindu on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament.
On April 17, the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, which sought to redistribute Lok Sabha seats on the basis of the 2011 Census and expedite the implementation of women’s reservation, was defeated by a united Opposition. In a House where 528 members were present and voting, 298 voted in favour of the Bill, falling short of the required two-thirds majority.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in