Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has confirmed that the BJP-led NDA government will soon reintroduce the Delimitation Bill. The updated bill will explicitly feature a clause guaranteeing a uniform 50% proportional increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states.
In an exclusive interview with The Economic Times, Naidu addressed the massive political controversy that recently led to the defeat of the legislative package in April.
He firmly defended the NDA camp, stating that the government’s intentions to protect the representation of states were completely transparent from day one. According to the Chief Minister, the absence of the explicit 50% proportional hike language in the previous draft was merely an administrative omission.
He criticised the Opposition for creating unnecessary political noise out of a text error rather than focusing on the actual floor assurances given by the government.
The inclusion of this explicit formula is a major victory for southern states, which have long feared being politically penalised for their successful population control measures.
By applying a flat 50% increase to every state’s existing tally, the current inter-state seat ratio will remain completely untouched. Naidu expressed high confidence that the bill will easily pass this time around.
He noted that shifting political dynamics, coupled with the fact that the primary concerns of regional parties have now been legally addressed, will pave a smooth path for the historic bill to clear Parliament.
