Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution seeks permanent cap of 543 Lok Sabha seats

Tamil Nadu chief minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday introduced a resolution in the state Assembly urging the Centre to permanently retain the Lok Sabha’s strength at 543 seats and implement the 33 per cent reservation for women in the 2029 general election.

The resolution sought the introduction of the women’s quota based on the existing composition of the Lok Sabha, without linking its implementation to an increase in parliamentary seats.

Vijay said women had waited long enough for greater representation in Parliament and argued that the reservation must take effect from the next Lok Sabha election.

“Reservation for women is not a concession, it is their democratic right,” the chief minister said.

He also called on the Union government to ensure that states which successfully implemented population-control measures were not disadvantaged during the delimitation exercise.

Southern states, including Tamil Nadu, have repeatedly expressed concern that a population-based redistribution of Lok Sabha seats could reduce their relative representation in Parliament compared with states that recorded higher population growth.

After Vijay tabled the resolution, assembly speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar invited legislators to express their support or opposition. Members of the Left parties spoke in favour of the proposal.

With PTI inputs