Lok Sabha Expansion Sparks Debate: Rahul Gandhi Challenges BJP's Delimitation Proposal

The Indian government has proposed a Constitutional Amendment to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850, triggering sharp criticism from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi has denounced the move as 'anti-national,' accusing the ruling BJP-led NDA of attempting a power play that could negatively impact the representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits, and Adivasis.

In a social media post, Gandhi stated that while the Congress party supports women's reservation, the delimitation process must be strictly based on the upcoming 2026 Census, including vital data from the caste census. He accused the BJP of using delimitation and gerrymandering to undermine minority communities, stressing his party's commitment to fair representation across all states and regions.

Gandhi further called for the immediate implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which guarantees 33 percent reservation for women legislators. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intends to manipulate delimitation to serve his political agenda, promising staunch resistance against such attempts. The government's proposal comes ahead of the 2029 general elections, aiming to pass amendments that would expand the House ahead of the census in 2027.