Congress Opposes 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill; Raises Concerns Over Delimitation Impact
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New Delhi, April 16, 2026:
Congress MP Hibi Eden on Thursday moved a notice to oppose the introduction of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, 2026, just hours before the special sitting of Parliament.
He raised serious concerns about the proposed changes, especially their impact on southern states and India’s federal structure.
Concerns Over Delimitation and Representation
The Bill proposes major changes in the delimitation process, which will redraw constituencies based on population data from the 2011 census.
According to Eden, the amendment seeks to modify key constitutional provisions, including Articles 82 and 334A. He argued that the move removes the traditional link between delimitation and the latest census.
He warned that the proposal could increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and shift political balance in favour of northern states.
Eden said this change could disadvantage southern states like Kerala and disturb the federal balance of the country.
Allegations of Political Motive
Eden also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of pushing the Bill for political gain.
He said the government is trying to fast-track delimitation while avoiding important issues like caste-based data collection.
“The Bill has nothing to do with women’s reservation and raises serious concerns about fair representation,” he stated in his notice.
Concerns Over Reservation and Census Delay
Congress leader Udit Raj also questioned the timing of the special Parliament session.
He said the government should first conduct a fresh census before making such major changes.
Raj highlighted that without updated data, it would be difficult to ensure fair reservation for OBCs and women. He warned that the move could affect both women’s reservation and OBC benefits.
Government’s Proposal and Key Changes
The Centre has called a special Parliament session from April 16 to 18 to introduce key legislative proposals.
Major highlights of the Bill include:
- Delinking delimitation from the 2027 census
- Increasing total Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850
- Allocating 815 seats to states and 35 to Union Territories
- Linking the reform with implementation of women’s reservation before 2029 elections
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