Delimitation penalizes states with managed populations, says Wilson

In India, DMK member P Wilson has raised concerns about the upcoming delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. He argues that this process could unfairly penalize states that have effectively managed their populations while rewarding those that have not. During a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Wilson highlighted that past delimitation efforts aimed to ensure fair representation following each census. He pointed out that states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala have successfully stabilized their populations, while states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar continue to grow rapidly. Wilson noted that the constitutional amendments in the past have created a freeze on delimitation based on the 1971 census. He believes that lifting this freeze in 2026 would harm states that have controlled their population growth. He warned that if the number of parliamentary seats is adjusted based on the 2026 census, states like Tamil Nadu could lose representation, while states with larger population growth may gain more seats. This, he argues, would lead to "a political coup" against those states that have adhered to family planning policies. Wilson urged the government, especially the Prime Minister, to address these concerns before the 2026 delimitation takes effect. He fears that states that have prioritized family planning will see a decrease in their political influence.