Kharge Seeks 25-Year Freeze On Lok Sabha Seats Amid Delimitation Debate

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the government's proposed delimitation exercise, calling for broad political consultation before any decision is taken.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Kharge reiterated his earlier request of July 16, 2026, seeking an all-party meeting and adequate time for political parties and state governments to examine the proposals in detail before they are introduced in Parliament.

Kharge said the Indian National Congress was clear about its position on the contentious issue. He demanded that the existing 543 seats in the Lok Sabha be retained for another 25 years, along with the current state-wise allocation of parliamentary seats.

He also called for the implementation of one-third reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, linking the demand to the broader discussion on representation and electoral reforms.

Kharge's latest appeal comes amid indications that the government could consider a special session of Parliament to discuss delimitation. Referring to recent remarks by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, he urged Modi to hold consultations with all political parties before proceeding with any proposed exercise.

"Give all political parties and state governments adequate time to study such proposals," Kharge said, stressing that delimitation was an issue of enormous significance for the country.

He also criticised the government's handling of earlier parliamentary proceedings, urging the Prime Minister not to "bulldoze" the proposals as he alleged had happened on April 16 and 17, 2026.

The delimitation debate centres on redrawing parliamentary constituencies based on population. Southern states have raised concerns that their successful population-control efforts could eventually reduce their relative representation in the Lok Sabha, while states with faster population growth could gain greater political weight.

The issue has consequently fuelled a North-South debate over political representation, with opposition leaders pushing for safeguards to ensure that states are not penalised electorally for controlling population growth.

Kharge's demand for a 25-year freeze seeks to preserve the existing balance of parliamentary representation while allowing wider political consensus on the future delimitation exercise.