Chennai, April 15 (NationPress) Union Minister Ramdas Athawale made a call on Wednesday for Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to endorse the Delimitation Bill, emphasizing its goal of empowering women without targeting any specific region.

This appeal followed Stalin's warning of a significant protest that could “paralyze the state” if the Centre's proposal led to a decrease in political representation for southern states while benefiting northern ones.

In a statement to IANS, Athawale remarked, “Our party firmly supports the Bill. As a member of the Republican Party of India and part of the NDA, we believe that the Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to bolster support for women. We anticipate that around 273 seats will be reserved for women. Presently, there are 543 seats in Parliament, and if the Bill passes, a substantial portion of the new seats will be allocated to women.”

He further clarified that the proposed increase in Lok Sabha seats is not intended to marginalize southern states.

“The total number of seats will rise, and as the Lok Sabha expands to approximately 850 or 860, constituencies will be smaller, allowing for improved representation. This is not a move against Tamil Nadu or the citizens of South India,” he stated.

Athawale also personally urged Stalin, reminding him of their past political ties.

“I want to remind Stalin that his party was once a member of the NDA during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's administration. I urge him to support this Bill as it is crafted to benefit women across the nation,” he said.

In the meantime, the Centre has proposed to increase the Lok Sabha seats to around 850 as part of executing the Women’s Reservation Act, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, ahead of the 2029 general elections. Of the proposed seats, about 815 would be designated for states and 35 for Union Territories.

Currently, the Lok Sabha comprises 543 seats, and the government is expected to present a constitutional amendment Bill during a special parliamentary session from April 16 to 18 to enable a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha.

Additionally, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju addressed concerns raised by southern states, stating on social media that misinformation was being disseminated.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed on X: “Certain individuals are attempting to mislead the South Indian States regarding Women Reservation by providing incorrect Delimitation data. There should be no political maneuvering in granting reservations to women in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. All political factions are united for Nari Shakti.”

Southern states have voiced concerns that population-based delimitation could diminish their representation in Parliament. Leaders from these regions argue that they are being penalized for successfully implementing population control and family planning initiatives, while states with higher population growth may gain additional seats.