Chennai, March 22 (IANS) The Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Fair Delimitation, which met in Chennai on Saturday, unanimously adopted a resolution stating that any future delimitation exercise undertaken by the Union Government must be carried out transparently, with full consultation and deliberation involving all stakeholders.
Addressing the media after the meeting, DMK Deputy General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, voiced the committee’s deep concern over the “lack of transparency and clarity” in the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, which, she noted, was being considered without proper consultation with state governments and political parties.
“I would like to read the resolution that was passed today,” she said. “The JAC expressed its deep concern over the lack of transparency and clarity in the delimitation process and the absence of any consultation with key stakeholders. The committee also expressed its appreciation to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for taking the initiative to safeguard the political and economic future of performing states in India.”
Kanimozhi added, “Based on discussions and scenarios presented by representatives during the meeting, the JAC unanimously resolved that any delimitation exercise carried out by the Union Government must be transparent, and must involve political parties from all states, state governments, and other key stakeholders to deliberate, discuss, and contribute to the process.”
She further highlighted the constitutional context, stating, “The legislative intent behind the 42nd, 84th, and 87th Constitutional Amendments was to incentivise and protect states that implemented population control measures effectively. Since the goal of national population stabilisation has not yet been achieved, the freeze on parliamentary constituencies based on the 1971 Census should be extended by another 25 years.”
The DMK leader emphasised that the political parties represented at the JAC meeting had resolved to jointly advocate for a fair delimitation process. “This is a historic moment in Indian political history, and the response from across the country has been overwhelming,” she said. Kanimozhi listed the leaders who participated in the meeting: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik addressed the gathering virtually.
Leaders from various parties also joined the deliberations, including representatives from the BRS, Shiromani Akali Dal, Kerala Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) of Kerala, AIMIM from Hyderabad, and Kerala Congress (M). All leaders came together on a single platform, expressing solidarity and concern over the crucial issue of delimitation.
“We are united in our stand and speak with one voice: we will fight for fair delimitation,” Kanimozhi asserted. The JAC meeting was convened under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who has emerged as a central figure in organising opposition unity on this issue. His efforts follow an all-party conference held in Tamil Nadu on March 5, where 58 registered political parties — excluding the BJP — expressed strong opposition to the proposed delimitation.
Notably, West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) was invited but did not send a representative to the meeting. The opposition’s key argument is that delimitation based solely on population growth unfairly penalises southern states, which have successfully implemented population control policies over the past several decades. They argue that such a move undermines India’s federal structure and punishes good governance.
The JAC called for a more balanced and equitable delimitation formula that takes into account not just population, but also economic contributions, governance performance, and development indicators. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the next meeting on delimitation will be held in Telangana’s capital Hyderabad.
–IANS
aal/uk
