On Thursday, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to organize an all-party meeting. The discussion would focus on the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, which is aimed at redrawing constituency boundaries. Kharge emphasized the need for political parties and state governments to have sufficient time to review and understand the proposals before any decisions are made.
“The Indian National Congress is very clear. In his letter to PM Modi, Kharge emphasised his previous request made on July 16, after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s reported remarks that a special session of Parliament could be convened to discuss the very issue. Maintain the existing strength of the Lok Sabha at 543 for another 25 years,” he said.
“I had last written to you on July 16, 2026, requesting you to convene an All-Party meeting for discussing the Government’s proposals for delimitation,” Kharge said. “I had also requested you to give all political parties adequate time to study such proposals in detail before they are introduced in any special session of Parliament that you may be contemplating,” he added. Kharge said the Congress was “very clear” about its position on the issue. “Maintain the existing state-wise strength in the Lok Sabha for another 25 years,” Kharge said, while also demanding that “one-third reservation for women” be introduced from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Referring to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent remarks in a television interview which hinted at a possible parliament special session, Kharge said, “Before you go ahead as indicated by the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, I wish to reiterate my earlier request to you to convene an All-Party meeting to discuss whatever delimitation proposals you have in mind.
