Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has formally reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a detailed letter, reiterating his demand for an all-party meeting regarding the government's proposed delimitation process, while in his communication, Kharge emphasized the necessity of providing political parties and state governments with sufficient time to study the proposal before any legislative action is taken. This letter follows recent indications from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju regarding the possibility of another session of Parliament, which has prompted the opposition leader to voice his concerns once again.
Demands for Seat Stability and Deliberation
In his letter, Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted that any proposal related to delimitation carries immense significance for the nation's democratic structure, while he insisted that before such a proposal is introduced in Parliament, all political stakeholders and state governments must be given an adequate window to conduct a detailed study of the provisions. One of the primary demands put forth by the Congress President is that the current strength of the Lok Sabha, which stands at 543 seats, should be maintained without any changes for the next 25 years. This stability, according to Kharge, is essential for the political balance of the country.
Implementation of Women's Reservation
Another critical point raised in the letter is the implementation of the one-third reservation for women. Kharge has demanded that this reservation should be made effective starting from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. He linked the urgency of his letter to the statements made by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who, in a television interview on Wednesday night, hinted at the possibility of a special session of Parliament. Kharge noted that the delay in formally concluding the Monsoon Session also points toward such a possibility, making it imperative for the government to clarify its stance on delimitation and seat allocation.
Reference to Previous Communications and Legislative History
This isn't the first time Mallikarjun Kharge has addressed this issue with the Prime Minister. He mentioned that he had previously written a letter on July 16, 2026, making similar requests. In his latest correspondence, he urged the Prime Minister not to attempt to "bulldoze" the proposal, drawing a parallel to the events of April 16 and 17, 2026. Kharge specifically referred to the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill related to women's reservation and delimitation, which failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on April 17 because it couldn't secure the required two-thirds majority. During that vote, 298 votes were cast in favor of the bill, while 230 votes were cast against it.
The Three Core Demands
The Congress President has clearly outlined three major demands for the Prime Minister's consideration. First, the existing number of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha must remain unchanged for the next 25 years. Second, the current allocation of these seats among the various states must also be preserved for the same period of 25 years. Third, the provision for one-third reservation for women must be implemented in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Kharge concluded by stating that delimitation is an issue with far-reaching consequences for the country, and So, every side must be given a fair opportunity and enough time to deliberate on the matter to avoid the legislative friction witnessed in April 2026.