LIVE! Tamil Nadu meet: Freeze delimitation process for 25 years, says CM Stalin
JAC's resolution slated for submission to President, marking a critical step in articulating southern states' apprehensions at the highest constitutional level
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, concluded its inaugural meeting in Chennai on Saturday (March 22) with a unanimous call for transparency in the 2026 delimitation process and a 25-year extension on the current freeze on constituency delimitation based on the 1971 Census population figures.
In case you want to know what the issue is all about, here we have it all covered.
Based on the various points and scenarios put forward by the representatives during the discussions, the JAC unanimously resolved that:
- Any delimitation exercise carried out by the Union government should be transparent, enabling political parties of all states, their governments, and other stakeholders to deliberate, discuss and contribute in it.
- Since the legislative intent behind the 42nd, 84th and 87th Constitutional amendments was to protect/incentivise the states that would implement population control measures effectively and the goal of national population stabilisation has not been achieved yet, the freeze on Parliamentary constituencies based on the 1971 Census population should be extended by another 25 years.
- The states that have effectively implemented the population control programme and consequently whose population share has come down, should not be penalised. The Centre must enact necessary constitutional amendments for this purpose.
- The core committee, comprising MPs from the represented states, will coordinate the parliamentary strategies to counter any attempts by the Centre to undertake any delimitation exercise contrary to the principles mentioned above.
- The core committee shall submit a joint representation along the above lines to the prime minister during the ongoing parliamentary session.
- Political parties will initiate efforts to bring about appropriate Legislative Assembly resolutions in their respective states on the issue and communicate those to the Centre.
- The JAC will also make necessary efforts to disseminate information on the history and context of past delimitation exercises and the consequences of the proposed delimitation among the citizens of their respective states, through a coordinated public opinion mobilization strategy.
The JAC's resolution is slated for submission to President Droupadi Murmu, marking a critical step in articulating southern states' apprehensions at the highest constitutional level. The next JAC meeting on delimitation will be held in Hyderabad, said Stalin.
JAC meeting
Fourteen leaders from at least five states attended the meeting and deliberated on the “threat” posed by the Lok Sabha seats delimitation exercise to states with high economic growth and literacy.
The chief ministers of Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab, Pinarayi Vijayan, Revanth Reddy, Bhagwant Singh Mann, the working president of Shiromani Akali Dal, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and the general secretary of Indian Union Muslim League Kerala, PMA Salam, were among the leaders who arrived in Chennai to take part in the meeting.
The DMK contacted seven states: Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, and Punjab. However, Trinamool decided to skip the meeting.
Also Read:
Discussion | Why is delimitation issue a federal flashpoint?
Live Updates
- 22 March 2025 3:37 AM GMT
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: On the First Joint Committee meeting on Delimitation called by TN CM MK Stalin, BJP Leader Ramchander Rao says, "DMK's invitation to four CMs and other political parties to discuss the delimitation issue is nothing but a divisive agenda of the INDI… pic.twitter.com/PR5Gw7bq2a
— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2025 - 22 March 2025 2:03 AM GMT
Trinamool to stay out
However, Trinamool has decided to skip the meeting at the last minute.
- 22 March 2025 2:01 AM GMT
Odisha to send two senior leaders
Opposition BJD in Odisha has nominated two senior leaders to represent the party in the meeting of the joint action committee (JAC) on delimitation in Chennai.
The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD in a statement said that former minister Sanjay Das Burma and former MP Amar Patnaik would attend the meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday.
“Odisha is among the eight states that have controlled population and significantly contributed to the economic growth of the country. Now, the central government has plans to undertake the delimitation process only on the criteria of population. Therefore, Odisha is likely to be affected,” Das Burma said.
Asked whether Odisha will stand to lose Parliament and assembly seats, he said Saturday’s meeting will give an indication in this regard.
“Whatever the case may be, the BJD is committed to fight for the rights of Odisha,” he asserted.
The ruling BJP, however, said there was no point for the BJD to join the meeting.
“The regional party is out of power and about to be finished soon. Their presence or absence in the meeting of states does not matter,” senior BJP leader and Odisha minister K C Patra said.
- 22 March 2025 2:00 AM GMT
Leaders start arriving
An illuminated Ripon building housing the Chennai Corporation office greeted the onlookers as leaders started arriving on Friday evening for the first delimitation meeting on March 22.
Meanwhile, Chief Ministers of Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab: Pinarayi Vijayan, Revanth Reddy, Bhagwant Singh Mann, and working president of Shiromani Akali Dal Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and general secretary of Indian Union Muslim League Kerala P M A Salam, were among the leaders who arrived in Chennai.
