Tharoor Calls Delimitation Political Demonetisation
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the government’s move to link women’s reservation with delimitation, warning in the Lok Sabha that a rushed redrawing of constituencies could damage India’s federal balance. During the debate, he compared the proposed exercise to demonetisation and urged the Centre not to repeat what he described as another hasty structural decision.
Shashi Tharoor on Delimitation Debate
Tharoor said delimitation should not be pushed through in haste and argued that it needs much wider consultation because of its long-term political impact. He warned that the exercise could disturb cooperative federalism and said the consequences would go far beyond a technical change in constituency boundaries.
Women’s Reservation Bill and Delimitation Link
A key part of Tharoor’s argument was that women’s reservation should be implemented immediately without being tied to delimitation and expansion of Parliament. He said women’s representation is ready to be introduced under the existing parliamentary structure and should not be delayed because of a more contentious administrative and political process.
Federal Balance and State Representation Concerns
Tharoor also flagged the broader political fault lines in delimitation. He said the exercise could create an imbalance between smaller and larger states, and between states that successfully controlled population growth and those that did not. According to his argument, states that followed national population goals could end up losing political weight if parliamentary seats are redrawn purely on newer population numbers.
