Palaniswami's Strong Rebuttal To MK Stalin Over Delimitation Allegation Against Centre As Census 2027 Sparks Political Storm

Chennai: E Palaniswami has hit out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over his ‘Delhi domination surrender’ remark aimed at AIADMK and assured every Tamilian that they will never allow their state’s representation in the Parliament to be reduced if any such thing happens after the delimitation exercise.

Palaniswami’s retort to MK Stalin has come after the incumbent chief minister alleged that BJP delaying the Census to 2027 was a clear plan to reduce Tamil Nadu’s parliamentary representation in the Lok Sabha. He questioned Opposition leader and AIADMK chief E Palaniswami by siding with the BJP claiming that he wasn’t just being silent but betraying the people of the state.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Stalin said that the Indian constitution mandates that delimitation must follow the first census after 2026. The BJP now delayed the Census to 2027, making their plan clear to reduce Tamil Nadu’s parliamentary representation.

Stalin also hit out at political opponent saying that it is now clear that he (Palaniswami) had surrendered to Delhi’s domination, since the AIADMK had forged an alliance with the BJP for next year’s Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami’s strong retort to Stalin 

Responding sharply to allegations, E Palaniswami mocked MK Stalin saying a puppet Chief Minister presiding over the most unfair, corrupt, dynastic regime the state has ever seen was speaking of ‘fair delimitation’.

In a long post on X, Palaniswami gave it back to Stalin and asked the Chief Minister to first delimit the TASMAC loot, delimit the drug mafia, delimit the illicit liquor, delimit rowdyism and the corruption of his ministers. And most importantly, delimit the family’s arrogance and stranglehold over Tamil Nadu.

Assuring the people of the state, Palaniswami made it clear that he vows before every Tamilian that they will never allow their representation to be reduced or voice to be silenced.

In 2027 or whenever delimitation may come, AIADMK back in power will fiercely defend Tamil Nadu’s rightful voice and future.

In a humble request to MK Stalin, Palaniswami asked him to stop his distraction to cover up failure and scams adding the people of the state are tired of his drama and crocodile tears.

Why MK Stalin has accused BJP of planning to reduce TN’s representation in Parliament?

MK Stalin raked up the issue of delimitation once again alleging that the BJP was planning to reduce Tamil Nadu’s representation after the Centre announced the dates to conduct the next population Census which will also include the caste data.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Centre announced of conducting the Census in two phases adding that the reference date for the Population Census 2027 will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, for most parts of the country.

However, for Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026.

Now ever since the government has announced conducting the long awaited Census exercise, MK Stalin has alleged that the delimitation exercise based on the latest Census data would reduce Tamil Nadu’s representation in the Lok Sabha.

Stalin, who in the recent past had doubted the intentions of the Centre over the delimitation exercise and raised the same fears in the minds of people of the state, once again launched his attack at the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Stalin alleged that the Census delay, which was originally planned for 2026, was ‘no accident’ and the delimitation plan is ‘no-coincidence’.

"The Census delay is no accident. The delimitation plan is no coincidence. The danger I warned of is at our doorstep," Stalin posted on social media.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs claims that the concerns of affected states will be addressed. But these are vague remarks. What is needed is a clear parliamentary commitment and a suitable constitutional amendment," he added.

Why Stalin fears delimitation based on latest Census?

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has a view that many southern states representation in Lok Sabha may be reduced following the delimitation exercise because many developed, non-Hindi speaking states followed population control norms.

He further added that several states who didn’t keep a check on population control may see a surge in their Parliamentary seats post the delimitation exercise.

Stalin further alleged that if delimitation is followed based on Census 2027 data, the democratic power of peninsular India will be reduced to irrelevance.

DMK-led JAC passes resolution to freeze Census 

A Joint Action Committee (JAC) led by DMK earlier in March had passed a resolution demanding that the Centre should extend the freeze on delimitation exercise for another 30 years.

What is delimitation freeze?   

The Congress-led government during the Emergency (June 25, 1975 - March 21, 1977) under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi passed an amendment officially known as 42nd Amendment of the Constitution, 1976, directing that the 1971 Census will be used as a reference point until first Census after in the year 2000.

The passage of the 42nd Amendment froze the number of Lok Sabha seats until the first Census taken after 2000.

Later in 2002, the NDA government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee extended the freeze on Lok Sabha seats for next 25 years till 2026.

Therefore, according to the Constitution, the next Census was originally schedule to take place in 2026, which has been delayed and will now take place in 2027.

What a 2019 report says on delimitation? 

A 2019 report by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, predicted that the next delimitation exercise would boost Lok Sabha strength to over 800 (848 precise).

The report further mentioned that Uttar Pradesh’s Lok Sabha seats, currently at 80, would rise to 143 by 2026. However, the analysis also projected a surge in Lok Sabha seats of Tamil Nadu from current 39 to 49.

What is delimitation? 

Delimitation is an exercise which reassess the number of seats in the states, UTs and boundaries of constituencies within them based on the latest or eligible Census data.

Amit Shah’s assurance to southern states 

Earlier in February, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the Southern states in the country including Tamil Nadu that their representation in the Parliament will not be reduced following a delimitation exercise.

In a statement, Amit Shah said, “I want to reassure the public of South India that Modi ji has kept your interest in mind to make sure that not even one seat is reduced pro rata”, adding, “whatever increase is there, the southern states will get a fair share.”