The Tamil Nadu government has expressed its desire to maintain the current freeze on Lok Sabha seats, which are capped at 543 nationally and 39 for the state. Minister Aadhav Arjuna made this announcement on Friday, emphasizing that the state is not in favor of any fair delimitation process.
The Public Works Minister asserted that the state government remained firm on its (Assembly) resolution to freeze the number of parliamentary seats at 543. Endorsing him, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar said he had clarified the government’s stance immediately after contradictory views were highlighted in the media on August 20 in the midst of the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting at Kovalam near here. The next population census could lead to a reduction in Tamil Nadu’s parliamentary representation below 39, he said and questioned the state government’s stand on the subject.
Raising the issue, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said the Centre does not pass a new law to extend the freeze. Leader of the Opposition DMK Udhayanidhi Stalin recalling the Assembly resolution on delimitation on August 12, urged the Union government to permanently fix the strength of Lok Sabha seats at 543, but Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had not used the word “freeze” while speaking on the issue at the council meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Earlier reporting noted: Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for omitting the specific term “freeze” from his speech in front of Amit Shah Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for omitting the specific term “freeze” from his speech in front of Amit Shah Earlier reporting noted: Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, pointing out that while the state assembly had passed a resolution to “freeze” the number of Lok Sabha seats at 543, the Chief Minister had omitted the specific term during the zonal meeting that took place yesterday. Earlier reporting noted: “The TVK government passed a resolution in this House to freeze total Lok Sabha seats at 543, but Chief Minister Vijay did not use the word ‘freeze’ at the Southern Zonal Council meeting,” Udhayanidhi said alleging a dilution of the state’s demand.
Responding to the concerns raised by the opposition party members on the parliamentary constituency delimitation, Arjuna told the Assembly that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had on Thursday conveyed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the existing freeze capping Lok Sabha seats at 543 nationally and 39 in the state should continue.
