CPI(M) opposes increasing Lok Sabha seats citing threat to 'federal imbalance' & 'diversity'

CPI(M) leader John Brittas said that increasing Lok Sabha seats undermines the federal balance and diversity that strengthens our democracy.

New Delhi: CPI(M) on Sunday said the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent undermines the federal balance and diversity that strengthens Indian democracy, insisting that "absolute numbers matter rather than ratio or percentage" in politics.

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letters to all party leaders in Parliament seeking support for early implementation of 33 per cent women's quota, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader John Brittas said, "the hurried special sitting and bundled amendments on massive seat expansion raise serious questions."

The budget session of Parliament is being reconvened on April 16 for passing an amendment to the Constitution for early implementation of women's quota after increasing the seats in Lok Sabha and Assemblies after a delimitation.

"The proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50% (from 543 to 816) on a pro-rata basis, will add over 200 seats to northern states but only around 65 to southern ones," Brittas said.

"In politics absolute numbers matter rather than ratio or percentage. This undermines the federal balance and diversity that strengthens our democracy," Brittas said on 'X'.

Brittas said the CPI(M) welcomes the move to implement the women's quota from 2029 Lok Sabha elections, calling it a "historic step" for women power.

Emphasising that the Left party had long championed this cause, he said the CPI(M) had raised concerns over the delay in the implementation and moved amendments to rectify it when the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023' was passed.

While those suggestions were not accepted then, he said the party will support the proposed changes to make it applicable from the next elections.

The special sitting comes when two key states — West Bengal and Tamil Nadu — are in the midst of crucial assembly elections and they have formally requested the government to defer until these conclude.