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The Tamil Nadu assembly has adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, urging the union government to permanently fix the strength of Lok Sabha members at 543.
The resolution, which batted for the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women in the next Lok Sabha polls to be held in 2029, and in elections to legislative assemblies was passed after an intense debate that went on for about two hours.
Underlining that “mothers and sisters” were a key reason for his growth in life, the CM said that 33 per cent reservation for women must not be delayed anymore.
He said: “We urge the union government to implement the 33 reservation for women without further delay. This is not a concession for women; it is their democratic right. This is not a victory for one person; it is a victory for Indian democracy.
Providing a background to the delimitation issue, including the defeat in April of the Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament, the resolution said if delimitation is carried out based on any census taken after 1971, the parliamentary representation of southern states, including Tamil Nadu, which have effectively controlled their population, will be permanently affected.
“As per the assurance given by the union government, it is its primary duty to ensure that no State that has efficiently implemented population control programmes, achieved good economic growth, and carried out proper healthcare and public welfare schemes is adversely affected by the delimitation.”
The resolution urged the Centre to make permanent the existing strength of Lok Sabha at 543 and “to maintain the inter-state distribution of seats permanently, to maintain the current LS-RS ratio at 2.2 : 1.
“The existing number of seats in the Lok Sabha allocated to the States should be made permanent at the current level, i.e. proportional distribution among the States,” according to the resolution.
Simultaneously, 33 percent women reservation should be implemented in the 2029 polls to the Lok Sabha, without delay, based on the existing 543 LS seats.
Vijay said although a law providing one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures had been passed, the delay in implementing it makes the objective unfulfilled and denies women their political rights.
Therefore, reservation for women should not be postponed by linking it to the census and delimitation. “The government of Tamil Nadu urges the union government to take appropriate measures to implement the reservation swiftly,” he said.
The resolution wanted the women reservation to be effective next LS polls and subsequent polls to the legislative Assemblies.
Main opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s friendly parties –the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) — supported the resolution.
