CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay appears to have softened his stand on delimitation within a week, moving from a demand to permanently freeze the Lok Sabha at 543 seats and retain the existing state-wise distribution to a broader demand that no State should lose its percentage share of parliamentary representation because of population stabilisation.
In the resolution he moved in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 12, Vijay had sought the permanent retention of the Lok Sabha's strength at 543 seats and the permanent maintenance of the existing inter State distribution of seats.
The resolution specifically said that the existing number of seats allocated to the States should be made permanent at the current level.
But, addressing the Southern Zonal Council on Thursday, Vijay adopted a different formulation. He urged the Union government to provide a "clear legislative assurance that no State will suffer a reduction in its percentage of representation in Parliament on account of its success in population stabilisation."
He did not repeat his Assembly demand for permanently freezing the Lok Sabha at 543 or for permanently retaining the existing State wise allocation.
The change is significant. The August 12 position effectively ruled out any change in the size or present inter-State distribution of the Lok Sabha, whereas the August 20 formulation could allow the House to be expanded or its allocation altered, provided no State's percentage share is reduced.