CHENNAI: The DMK’s decision to support the TVK government’s delimitation resolution on Wednesday is not a reversal of its earlier stand but a continuation of it, the party clarified on Wednesday.
While the DMK continues to oppose any delimitation exercise that could reduce the state’s representation in Parliament, it has moved from seeking an extension of the existing freeze on delimitation for another 25 years to backing a permanent freeze to retain the Lok Sabha at 543 seats and preserve the existing state-wise allocation of seats.
On March 5, 2025, the then DMK-led state government convened an all-party meeting to deliberate on the topic of delimitation. On March 22, 2025, the party brought together chief ministers and political parties of all southern states and convened a Joint Action Committee meeting.
DMK stand on delimitation unchanged: MP
In both meetings, resolutions were adopted to continue the freeze on the number of parliamentary constituencies as per the 1971 census.
While in the all-party meeting it was decided to extend the freeze for 30 years, in the JAC meeting it was resolved to extend the freeze for 25 years.
Both resolutions also stated that “if the total number of Lok Sabha seats is increased, Tamil Nadu’s existing 7.18% representation should not be reduced” and that the union government should provide constitutional safeguards to protect the state’s share.
When the Delimitation Bill was proposed in Parliament this April, DMK MP Kanimozhi opposed the delimitation exercise based on population.
After the Assembly proceedings, a DMK MP and former union minister said the stand of the DMK is unchanged.
“If the total number is increased, we seek an increase on a pro-rata basis. Even in our resolution adopted last year, in both all-party meetings as well as in the JAC meeting (last year), we stressed a freeze for another 25 years,” the MP told TNIE.