Congress poses 3 questions to Rijiju on delimitation, demands all-party meet
Synopsis
Congress's Jairam Ramesh has put the Modi government on the spot with three direct questions on delimitation — does it have a new proposal, why won't it hold an all-party meeting, and does it plan to revive a Constitution Amendment Bill that already failed in the Lok Sabha? With Kharge having written to Modi four times and to Rijiju twice, the Opposition's patience is visibly running thin.
Key Takeaways
Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on 20 October 2026 over the government's delimitation stance.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had written his fourth letter to PM Modi on 16 October 2026 , demanding an all-party meeting before any delimitation proposals are finalised.
The Constitution Amendment Bill on delimitation was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 , with most consulted parties voting against it.
Ramesh alleged Rijiju's reply omitted commitments Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly made during March 2026 consultations.
The Opposition has demanded an all-party meeting six times in writing — four times to the PM and twice to Rijiju.
Congress General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, fired three pointed questions at Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, demanding clarity on the central government's next move on delimitation — including whether it holds a fresh proposal and why it continues to resist an all-party meeting sought by the Opposition.
Background: Kharge's Letters and Rijiju's Reply
The latest exchange follows Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, writing his fourth letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 October 2026, demanding an immediate all-party meeting before any delimitation proposals are finalised. Rijiju responded to Kharge on the government's behalf, rejecting the allegation that the Opposition had been sidelined. He claimed the government had reached out to the Congress on multiple occasions in March and April 2026, but the party reportedly failed to provide dates for discussions. The Minister added that the government had subsequently consulted other parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Samajwadi Party, and Shiv Sena (UBT), in an effort to build consensus.
What Ramesh Alleged
Taking to X, Ramesh said Rijiju's reply cited Home Minister Amit Shah's 'selective consultations' with certain political parties on delimitation in March 2026. However, Ramesh alleged that the Minister's response conspicuously omitted commitments Shah had apparently made during those discussions — commitments that were not reflected in the Constitution Amendment Bill subsequently tabled in the Lok Sabha on 16 April 2026.
'The Bill was deservedly and decisively defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026. Most of the parties that were consulted (according to Kiren Rijiju) had voted AGAINST the Bill,' Ramesh said. He argued that the government could not rely on its account of past consultations as a substitute for clarity on its current position.
The Three Questions Posed to Rijiju
Ramesh listed three specific demands for the Minister. First, he asked whether the Modi government had a firm new proposal on delimitation that it had already discussed with any political party. Second, he questioned why the government was refusing to convene an all-party meeting to discuss any such proposal collectively and transparently, noting that Kharge had raised this demand 'not once or twice but six times in writing — four times to the PM and twice to Rijiju himself.' Third, Ramesh questioned whether the government intended to revive the already-defeated Constitution Amendment Bill and make a fresh attempt at passage. 'Is it the Modi Govt's intention to bring back the defeated Bill and make another attempt to get it passed with a super-tainted two-thirds majority, that will no doubt fail again?' he asked.
Why It Matters
Delimitation — the redrawing of parliamentary and assembly constituency boundaries — carries significant political consequences for southern states, which fear a loss of Lok Sabha seats relative to more populous northern states following the next Census-based exercise. This is the second major legislative setback in this Parliament session after the Constitution Amendment Bill's defeat in April 2026. The Opposition's demand for an all-party meeting reflects a broader concern that the government is attempting to push through a contentious constitutional change without adequate cross-party consensus. How the Centre responds to Ramesh's three questions is expected to set the tone for further parliamentary debate on delimitation.
Point of View
Which leans on process — 'we reached out, you did not respond' — does not address the substantive allegation that Shah's consultation commitments were excluded from the Bill. The Opposition's demand for an all-party meeting is not procedurally unreasonable; constitutional boundary changes of this scale have historically required broad consensus. The Centre's continued resistance to a transparent collective forum, even after a parliamentary defeat, raises legitimate questions about whether it has a viable path forward — or is simply buying time before the next Census triggers an unavoidable reckoning.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three questions Congress posed to Kiren Rijiju on delimitation?
Jairam Ramesh asked whether the Modi government has a firm new delimitation proposal discussed with any party, why it refuses to convene an all-party meeting to discuss it transparently, and whether it intends to revive the Constitution Amendment Bill already defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026.
Why was the Constitution Amendment Bill on delimitation defeated?
The Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026, with most of the parties the government claimed to have consulted voting against it. Congress alleged the Bill excluded commitments Home Minister Amit Shah had reportedly made during March 2026 consultations.
How many times has Mallikarjun Kharge written to PM Modi and Kiren Rijiju on delimitation?
According to Jairam Ramesh, Kharge has written six times in total — four letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two letters to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju — demanding an all-party meeting before any delimitation proposal is finalised.
What is the delimitation controversy in India about?
Delimitation refers to the redrawing of parliamentary and assembly constituency boundaries, typically after a Census. Southern states fear losing Lok Sabha seats relative to more populous northern states in any future exercise, making it a politically sensitive constitutional matter with significant implications for federal representation.
What did Kiren Rijiju say in response to Kharge's letter?
Rijiju, responding on behalf of the government, denied that the Opposition had been ignored and said the government had reached out to Congress multiple times in March and April 2026, but the party failed to provide dates for discussions. He added that the government then consulted the DMK, Samajwadi Party, and Shiv Sena (UBT) to build consensus.
