Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday renewed his demand for an all-party meeting on delimitation, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to rush through any proposal in Parliament without giving political parties and state governments adequate time to examine its implications.
Kharge’s fresh letter comes amid indications from the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs that a special session of Parliament could be convened, setting the stage for a potentially major political confrontation over the future composition of the Lok Sabha.
Kharge, in his letter, said that he had written to the Prime Minister on July 16, 2026, seeking an all-party meeting to discuss the government’s proposed approach to delimitation. Adding that he had also urged the government to give all political parties sufficient time to study the proposals before they are brought before the Parliament.
Reiterating that demand, Kharge said the possibility of a special session had gained urgency following the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s public remarks.
“I am writing now to reiterate this request since the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs has publicly stated in a television interview last night that such a special session of Parliament could well be convened,” Kharge said in the letter.
He also suggested that this could explain the continued delay in the prorogation of the Monsoon session.
Kharge further said that the Congress had a clear position on the contentious issue and listed three demands, “Maintain the existing strength of the Lok Sabha at 543 for another 25 years; maintain the existing state-wise strength in the Lok Sabha for another 25 years and introduce one-third reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections”.
The Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition urged Modi to first convene an all-party meeting to place the government’s delimitation proposals before political parties and then provide both parties and state governments adequate time to study them.
Kharge cautioned Modi against attempting to push the issue through Parliament without sufficient consultation.
He 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 and give all political parties and state governments adequate time to study such proposals,” Kharge said.
“This is an issue that has enormous significance for the country,” Kharge said, urging the Prime Minister: “Please do not again try and bulldoze as you attempted on April 16 and 17, 2026.”
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