Chennai, Mar 5 (UNI) Demanding status quo on delimitation process for the next 30 years, an All Party meeting convened by the Tamil Nadu Government on Wednesday strongly and unanimously opposed the proposed exercise based population and sought an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha that it would be conducted only based on the 1971 population census, besides constituting a Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising MPs from all the Southern States, including Tamil Nadu, to create an awareness among the people.
An unanimous resolution was adopted at the meeting, chaired by Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin, in which leaders of nearly 40 parties--barring the BJP which boycotted it--setting aside their political differences, participated and spoke in one voice against the proposed population-based exercise which might reduce the number of Lok Sabha seats from the present 39 to 31.
A total of six resolutions, moved by Mr Stalin, were adopted at the meeting, one of which favoured
maintenance of status quo on the delimitation process for the next 30 years beyond 2026, while
forming a JAC on the issue.
One of the resolutions said, this all-party meeting unanimously and strongly opposes population-based Parliamentary constituency delimitation, which poses a serious threat to India’s federal structure and the political representation rights of Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states.
It is completely unjust for Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states to have their parliamentary representation reduced solely because they have successfully implemented the population control measures for the country’s benefit, another resolution said.
Pointing out to the assurance given by the then Prime Minister in 2000 that the delimitation exercise would be conducted based on the 1971 population, the resolution demanded a firm assurance from Mr Modi in this regard.
"Prime Minister Mr Modi must give an assurance in Parliament that the 2000 agreement--when the then Prime Minister guaranteed that constituency distribution would continue based on the 1971 population--will be extended for another 30 years beyond 2026", it said.
Another resolution said if the number of MPs in Parliament was increased, the Union Government must amend the Constitution to ensure that the distribution of constituencies among states would
be done on the same proportional ratio as in 1971, thereby preserving Tamil Nadu’s rightful representation.
Tamil Nadu is not opposed to delimitation in principle. However, it should not be implemented in
a way that penalizes states that have successfully implemented social and economic development policies for over five decades, another resolution said.
This all-party meeting presents these demands as Tamil Nadu’s minimum requirements, it said, adding to carry forward this demand and to create an awareness among the people, a joint action
Committee comprising parliamentary representatives from Tamil Nadu and other South Indian
states should be formed by sending a formal invitation to the relevant political parties for this
purpose.
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