Siddaramaiah warns of political marginalisation from delimitation

CM Siddaramaiah warned that Lok Sabha delimitation could cut seats for southern states, punishing progress and risking political marginalisation

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has described the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies as the gravest challenge facing South Indian states, warning that it could lead to political marginalisation. Speaking at the South India Socialist Conference in Bengaluru, he argued that the exercise, if carried out as planned, would amount to demographic punishment for states that have successfully controlled population growth and invested in social development.

Siddaramaiah highlighted that southern states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have made significant progress in health, education, and women’s empowerment, resulting in improved human development indicators. However, he cautioned that these achievements could paradoxically reduce their representation in Parliament. Studies suggest that states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar may gain more than 20 Lok Sabha seats, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala together could lose around 16 seats. Karnataka too faces a potential reduction in its political voice.

He stressed that representation should not become a reward for failure and a penalty for success. Without corrective measures, he warned, South India could be politically sidelined within the larger national framework. Siddaramaiah emphasised that Karnataka stands for a fair, federal, and just India, and argued that weakening the strongest states would not strengthen the nation.

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The conference was convened to oppose perceived discrimination in the delimitation process, inequities in tax devolution to southern states, and what participants described as an erosion of federal principles by the Union government. Siddaramaiah called for a constitutional course correction to safeguard the interests of states like Karnataka. He urged the introduction of constitutional protections against such limitations and pressed for the revival of the inter-state council to ensure cooperative federalism.

His remarks underscore growing concerns in South India that delimitation could reshape the political balance of the country, reducing the influence of states that have achieved social progress while amplifying the representation of those with higher population growth.

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