Amid the ongoing debate over constituency delimitation, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday asserted that the process cannot take place without conducting a fresh census. He pointed out that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had amended the Constitution in 2002, deferring delimitation until after the first census post-2026.
Speaking to ANI, Ramesh emphasized, “Delimitation cannot be done without a fresh census. Vajpayee amended the Constitution to ensure that delimitation remains postponed until the first census after 2026, which means it should be based on the 2031 census. That was the constitutional amendment in 2002, keeping delimitation frozen at 1971 population levels.”
Ramesh further raised concerns over the delay in conducting the census, questioning why it has not been undertaken in the past four years.
“We raised this question yesterday in Parliament. When will the census be conducted? It is necessary for women’s reservation and the distribution of Lok Sabha seats. However, one thing is clear—states should not be penalized for their success in family planning,” he said.
Ramesh warned that if delimitation is carried out using estimated population figures for 2025, states that have successfully reduced their fertility rates could lose representation in Parliament.
“States that have effectively implemented family planning will be unfairly penalized. No state should suffer in absolute or proportional terms for reducing fertility rates or family size. I do not support the idea that political leaders should encourage people to have more children just to maintain representation,” he added.
The MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government has strongly opposed the delimitation exercise and the three-language formula introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
On Friday, opposition leaders gathered in Chennai for the first Joint Action Committee Meeting, called by Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, to discuss delimitation concerns and federalism.
In addition to delimitation concerns, Jairam Ramesh also criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha, suggesting that the BJP is “nervous” about Gandhi’s growing influence.
“The BJP is rattled by Rahul Gandhi’s increasing impact. His Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra have shaken them. As Leader of the Opposition, he continuously raises concerns of marginalized communities who do not have access to the Home Minister, Prime Minister, or senior ministers. The BJP’s repeated attacks on him only reflect their fear,” Ramesh stated.
On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dig at Rahul Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha, particularly while speaking on anti-terror operations and development in Jammu and Kashmir under the Modi government.
With delimitation emerging as a key political flashpoint, opposition parties continue to challenge the BJP-led Central government, citing concerns over fair representation and federalism.
