Tamil superstar and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay has demanded capping Lok Sabha seats based on the 1971 census.
Warning against the impending delimitation exercise, he laid stress on the necessity of a transparent and just process to maintain balanced political representation among Indian states.
Vijay condemned the ambiguity in the new seat distribution process. He argued that relying on the recent census figures may go disproportionately in favour of some states, distorting the political equation. In pressing the cause of the 1971 census as a point of reference, he is joining long-standing calls from southern states to avoid diminishing their influence in parliament.
The delimitation issue has raised controversies on regional representation and federal balance. Political analysts opine that any radical shift would affect the power relations between northern and southern states. Vijay’s position is a reflection of fears that Tamil Nadu and other southern states, which have managed to contain population growth, would be losers in seat redistribution.
As talks of delimitation pick steam, Vijay’s comments are bound to ignite political rhetoric. With increasing endorsement from the regional heads, the demand for an equitable formula of seat allocation can influence future electoral agendas and policy choices at the national level.
