New Delhi: The Centre’s renewed attempt to push through a constitutional amendment linking women’s reservation with delimitation could face a fresh hurdle, with the DMK and YSRCP demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The government requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament to clear the amendment. The DMK has 22 members in the Lok Sabha, while the YSRCP has earlier supported key government legislation despite staying outside the NDA. Their current stance on delimitation, however, remains uncertain.
There are indications that the BJP may have reached out to the DMK for backing on the delimitation proposal. But both regional parties have now publicly called for Kumar’s removal, creating a possible political complication for the government ahead of a likely special parliamentary sitting later this month.
Congress Seeks Wider Talks
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene an all-party meeting before any revised proposal is finalised. He cautioned that constitutional changes with long-term consequences should not be pushed through in haste.
Kharge also criticised the delay in formally ending the Monsoon Session. He pointed out that 64 days had passed since the session was adjourned sine die on August 13, describing the delay as unprecedented.
Jagan Regrets Earlier Stand
YSRCP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday expressed regret over his party’s earlier support for the 2023 law on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners,as reported by The New Indian Express.
“Both the State Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioners should not be nominated by the ruling parties. In the past we have supported the Union government’s mechanism to make appointments by the ruling party. But we regret it today. We regret committing that mistake. Because an examiner cannot be appointed by a student,” he said at a press conference.
The YSRCP had supported the appointment law in 2023, when Parliament cleared it while more than 100 Opposition MPs remained suspended.
DMK Intensifies Attack
The DMK sharpened its campaign against Kumar at its parliamentary party meeting on Saturday, chaired by party president M K Stalin. The party demanded his immediate removal and a probe into decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
DMK MPs are expected to submit a memorandum to the President seeking cancellation of the SIR, restoration of ballot-paper voting and complete counting of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail slips. The party alleged that the revision had removed genuine voters and accused the Election Commission of favouring the ruling establishment.
The DMK also extended support to protests by students and youth over alleged irregularities in the electoral process. At the same time, it accused the Congress and the TVK of opportunism and inconsistency in their positions.
Seat Expansion Proposal
The government had failed to secure the required two-thirds majority when it attempted to pass the Bill on April 17. According to sources, a new draft may propose a 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats for every state to address concerns raised by southern states.
The proposal is meant to address the concerns of southern states that their Lok Sabha seats could fall under a population-based delimitation. Under the reported plan, the Lok Sabha’s strength may rise from 543 to a maximum of 850 seats.
The expansion aims to implement women’s reservation before the 2029 general election. The delimitation will be based on the 2011 Census, the last published Census.
