Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday strongly criticised the Centre over reports that it may reintroduce the Delimitation Bill during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that the move is a “revenge tactic” aimed at securing a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha after an earlier constitutional amendment failed to pass.
Addressing a press conference after a Congress strategy meeting, Ramesh claimed the government was attempting to revive the delimitation proposal for political gain rather than democratic reform. He alleged that the BJP was seeking to alter the country's electoral landscape to strengthen its parliamentary position and accused the ruling party of pursuing what he described as a “2-D agenda” — delimitation and the dismissal of elected governments.
Ramesh referred to the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the Budget Session, when the government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. He argued that the latest effort to bring back the Delimitation Bill was driven by political calculations and called upon opposition parties to remain united against what he described as an attempt to reshape representation in Parliament.
The Congress leader also said his party was in constant touch with several opposition parties, including the DMK, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and other INDIA bloc partners, to coordinate a common strategy for the Monsoon Session beginning July 20. According to him, opposition unity had earlier prevented the constitutional amendment from passing, and similar coordination would continue on issues related to delimitation and other key bills.
The controversy comes amid renewed debate over the proposed delimitation exercise, which is expected to redraw parliamentary constituencies based on population changes. Several opposition parties, particularly from southern states, have expressed concerns that such an exercise could reduce their relative representation in the Lok Sabha while increasing the number of seats in faster-growing northern states.
The Central government has not officially responded to Jairam Ramesh's latest remarks. However, the proposed Delimitation Bill is expected to be among the most closely watched issues during the Monsoon Session, with both the government and the opposition preparing for an intense parliamentary debate over its constitutional and political implications.
