"Delimitation Bill draconian ...": CPI's Sandosh Kumar slams Centre

New Delhi [India], August 2 (ANI): The CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member P Sandosh Kumar on Sunday criticised the Centre's push for the Delimitation Bill, terming it "draconian legislation."
Speaking to ANI, Kumar emphasised that the context surrounding the bill remains unchanged since its defeat in the previous parliamentary session. Criticising the central government for lacking a clear strategy, he demanded a freeze on the delimitation process for at least 25 years.
"The delimitation bill is one of the draconian legislations. It was defeated in the last session. Now, the situation has not changed. The government has no proper formula. Our opinion is that at least for the coming 25 years, this must be frozen," he said.
Kumar categorically rejected any proposals adopting a 50 per cent threshold, arguing that such a formula would only exacerbate regional disparities in political representation.
"The status quo must be maintained, because those people, I mean states that had controlled populations, should not be punished in any way. And there are many other related issues as well. And this 50 per cent formula is not at all acceptable because that will widen the gap further," he said.
The remarks come amid speculation around the Centre bringing back the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposes an increase in the number of seats in the Lok Sabha up to 850 and implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in legislatures. The speculation are fueled by the political mergers which took place before the Monsoon Session began.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sharply criticised those in support of the Bill, characterising delimitation as a conspiracy to disenfranchise the people of Tamil Nadu and strip the State of its political power.
Addressing reporters, the Congress MP argued that the process is designed to weaken Tamil Nadu and calls upon all political parties, both regional and national, to defeat the bill in the House.
"There is an attempt by the BJP to carry out delimitation. Delimitation is designed to disenfranchise people and take away the political power of the people of Tamil Nadu. This is a BJP conspiracy...Anyone who supports delimitation is betraying Tamil Nadu, betraying the future of Tamil Nadu, and allowing the RSS and BJP to attack the people of Tamil Nadu and its future," he told reporters. (ANI)