BJP Rajya Sabha member and national OBC president K. Laxman on Sunday said the Modi government planned to undertake delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies on a ‘pro-rata’ basis ahead of the 2026 Census to ensure that no State, particularly in the southern region, was disadvantaged.Pro-rata delimitation implies that States will receive additional Lok Sabha seats in proportion to their existing strength in Parliament, rather than purely based on population growth, he said, addressing a press conference at the State BJP office. He said the proposed exercise would enhance women’s representation due to the one-third reservation, while also increasing the number of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members based on constituencies reserved as per the 2011 Census.Taking exception to the Chief Minister’s remarks on delimitation made at a recent media conclave in Delhi, Mr. Laxman accused him of creating unnecessary apprehensions between the northern and southern States. The total number of Lok Sabha seats was likely to increase from the current 543 to around 816, with SC/ST representation rising from 131 to 197, including 126 SC and 71 ST members. Telangana too was expected to benefit, with the number of reserved constituencies rising from five to eight.Expansion of Parliamentary constituencies had become inevitable, as an MP in India currently represents a population of nearly 20 to 25 lakh, compared to about eight lakh in the United States and roughly two lakh in the United Kingdom, he claimed.“He rejected allegations of discrimination against southern States, pointing to generous fund devolution through successive Finance Commissions and the sanctioning of national highways and railway projects.Mr. Laxman accused the Chief Minister of being ‘scared’ of proposals for simultaneous elections to Parliament and State Assemblies clarifying that there no chance of any government being in office beyond the stipulated five-year term.Published - March 29, 2026 08:01 pm IST