Kharge Writes To PM Modi, Seeks All-Party Meeting Before Delimitation Bill

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an all-party meeting to discuss the Centre's proposals on delimitation before they are introduced in Parliament.

In his letter, made public on Thursday, Kharge urged the Prime Minister to ensure that all political parties are consulted and that the Opposition is given adequate time to study the proposals before any legislative process begins.

Kharge also revealed that he had been writing to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju since March, requesting an all-party meeting on the issue. According to him, those requests were not accepted.

The Congress leader argued that delimitation, which has significant implications for the distribution of parliamentary constituencies and political representation across states, requires broad political consensus and detailed deliberation rather than being introduced without prior consultation.

The demand comes amid heightened political debate over the proposed delimitation exercise, with several Opposition parties, particularly from southern states, expressing concerns that population-based redistribution of Lok Sabha seats after the next Census could reduce their parliamentary representation despite better population control outcomes.

Kharge's letter reiterates the Opposition's demand for transparency, wider consultation, and sufficient time to examine the government's proposals before they are placed before Parliament.