Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw its proposed constituency delimitation legislation. Chief Minister Vijay moved the resolution and spoke on the need to protect both women’s representation and the federal balance.
Vijay said Tamil Nadu women have made significant contributions across fields such as education, science, administration, justice and technology. He argued that political reservation for women should be seen as a matter of social justice, not as a concession.
Citing the State’s record, the Chief Minister noted that the number of women MLAs has risen from 12 in the previous Assembly to 23 at present, though he acknowledged the percentage remains low. He added that Tamil Nadu currently has four women ministers, and pointed to 50% reservation in local bodies as evidence of women’s leadership.
Referring to the women’s reservation law passed by the Centre in 2023, Vijay said it has been slated to take effect from April 2026, but full implementation has been linked to the census and subsequent delimitation, which he said could delay the law’s intent. He called for ensuring 33% reservation in Parliament and Assemblies, and urged that it be implemented for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Vijay also warned that delimitation after the 2026 census could reduce the number of MPs from southern states, even if additional seats are temporarily allotted to states. He said states that have effectively controlled population should not see their economic progress undermined, and argued that the current strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats should be retained permanently.
