Centre's proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats can have 'serious implications': Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge

He said the government wants to pass these important Constitutional Amendment Bill so that it can claim credit and gain political advantage in the upcoming Assembly elections.

New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the Modi government's proposal to increase seats in Lok Sabha and Assemblies will have “serious implications” for India's electoral system and accused the ruling BJP of rushing through bills, including one on early implementation of 33% women's quota, to “gain political advantage” in the Assembly polls. 

In his initial remarks at the Congress Working Committee meeting here to strategise on the reconvening of Parliament's Budget Session where the contentious Bills will be taken up, he said the Modi government has suddenly become active on the issue of women’s reservation “after a long silence”.

Kharge said the government's intention to pass the Bills in the midst of Assembly elections was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct but did not expect the Election Commission, which is functioning like a “subordinate office of the Ministry of Home Affairs”to even take note of their concerns.

Insisting that they have not received any formal proposal and have come to know of “certain details” from an article by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the plan to increase the existing seats in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies by 50% needed “deep and careful deliberation”.

“The proposed amendments (increasing seats) could have serious implications for our electoral system,” he said, adding the government wants to pass this important legislation so that it can “claim credit and gain political advantage” in the ongoing Assembly elections.

Recalling the Opposition demand for an all-party meeting on the issue after the conclusion of Assembly polls on April 29, he said the ruling BJP ignored it and chose to move forward only to “change the narrative” against the government.

He said the Parliament session is being reconvened at a time when most MPs are busy in their constituencies in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where elections will be held on April 23 and 29.

“But this is nothing new for the Modi government. Weakening democracy and taking arbitrary decisions has become its habit, which we have consistently opposed,” he said.

He said the issue of women’s reservation is an integral part of Congress’  commitment to social justice and it has always been at the forefront of women’s empowerment.“We do not need certification from anyone on issues such as the welfare of women and weaker sections of society,” he said, recalling that Congress has demanded that 33% quota be implemented immediately when the Bill was passed in 2023.

“However, the government decided that it would be implemented only after delimitation and the Census. The country is aware of this, and therefore several questions arise on this issue,” he added