The NDA’s strength in the Lok Sabha has since risen to 299 following the merger of seven Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. If all 20 NCPI MPs support the Bill, the government could count on 319 votes, still short of the 360 required for a constitutional amendment in the current House.
The DMK, which is no longer part of the INDIA bloc after the Congress joined the TVK government in Tamil Nadu, could emerge as a key player with its 22 Lok Sabha MPs and eight Rajya Sabha members.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said “politically aligned” MPs from Tamil Nadu had discussed the implications of the proposed delimitation.
He said southern states and some others, including Odisha, would be on the “backfoot” due to delimitation as it would hurt their interests.
He also said that a 50 per cent increase in seats would mean delinking population from delimitation, which “may have its own disadvantages”.
According to Chidambaram, states that have successfully implemented population control measures and contribute more to the country should not be penalised.
Sources said there is no confirmation yet on whether the Bill will be introduced in the current session, though the government believes it can be readied quickly if sufficient political support is secured.
Meanwhile, the Opposition has continued to disrupt Parliament over the NEET paper leak and the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, demanding a discussion on police action against protesting students and the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.
Since the Monsoon session began on July 20, repeated disruptions have prevented Question Hour from functioning, while five Bills have been passed without discussion amid the din.
(With inputs from PTI)
