Delimitation: No state, be it north or south willbe discriminated against in exercise, says Modi

PTI, April 16, 2026, New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that no state -- big or small, north or south, east or west -- will be discriminated against in the delimitation of constituencies linked with the implementation of women quota law and warned that those who oppose this reform will not be forgiven by the women of the country.

Intervening in the debate in Lok Sabha on the three Bills introduced for amendment of the women's quota law and to set up a delimitation commission, Modi also made it clear that the proportion of Lok Sabha seats in any state will not come down as a result of the delimitation exercise. "There will be no change in that proportion (of Lok Sabha seats) either, and the increase will also be in the same proportion," the Prime Minister said.

Modi also said the ruling dispensation does not want credit for implementation of the women reservation law in 2029 and offered to give credit to the Opposition. "If you oppose it, it is natural that I will gain political benefit, but if you walk along, no one will gain any political advantage," he said.

The Prime Minister said no one should remain under the illusion that they are giving something to the women of this country as reservation in legislatures is their right. He said if any political party opposes the women quota law, it is quite natural that he (Modi) would be politically benefited.

"We don't want credit. If you want me to use the word 'guarantee', I use the word 'guarantee'. If you want me to make a promise, I use the word 'promise'. Because if the intention is clear, there is no need to play games with words," he said.

Allaying fear of some states over the delimitation exercise, particularly those from the southern and eastern regions, the Prime Minister said no state will be discriminated against under the move. "I want to say from this House today with a great sense of responsibility that whether it is the south, the north, the east, the west, small states or big states, this decision making process will not discriminate against any state or do injustice to anyone," he said.

Modi said those who had opposed in giving this right to women in the past have not been forgiven by the women of this country, they have faced the consequences.

"Today, I have come to appeal to you that do not weigh this on political scales. This is a decision in the national interest. The women across the country and the world are watching us, will see our decisions. But more than the decision itself, they will judge our intent. If there is any flaw in our intent, the women of this country will never forgive," he said.

The Prime Minister said when the Parliament was discussing the women reservation legislation in 2023, people were saying, "hurry up". "But it couldn't happen in 2024, because it can't be done in such a short time. Now in 2029, we have time. If we don't do it even in 2029, we can imagine what the situation will be like. The demand of the time is that we should not delay any further now," he said.

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, the Congress said he addressed every matter other than the key issue of delimitation and showed "willful blindness" to the concerns of several states in the South, East, North-East, and the North.

The Congress also claimed that the government's "insidious attempt" to subvert the Constitution and hijack the system will undoubtedly face defeat in the Lok Sabha when the three bills to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission are put to vote.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that uncharacteristically, "the non-grihasthi Prime Minister" delivered only a 40-minute speech in the Lok Sabha.

"Characteristically, he addressed every matter other than the key issue that is actually at stake in the special session of Parliament - delimitation. He didn't address a single concern raised around it," Ramesh said.

"The Prime Minister claimed that the government met every party on this issue. But the truth is that it rejected repeated calls by the leader of opposition to have an all-party meeting after the conclusion of the election campaign in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on April 29," Ramesh said.

The government has not formally or informally consulted a single state government, even as it proceeds to undertake delimitation at both the Lok Sabha and the Assembly-level, he claimed.