Southern states rally against delimitation, decry assault on federalism

On March 22, 2025, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin hosted the Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting in Chennai, uniting southern leaders to oppose the Central government’s delimitation plan, which they argue threatens federalism and unfairly slashes their parliamentary representation.

In a powerful display of regional solidarity, leaders from India’s southern states convened in Chennai on Saturday, to challenge the Union Government’s delimitation policies. Spearheaded by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting spotlighted a growing North-South divide, with accusations of a “Hindia” agenda aimed at imposing Hindi and diluting southern political clout. This coalition, spanning Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, and Punjab, demands a rethink of the population-based seat allocation process—a mechanism they claim punishes states for adhering to national population control goals while rewarding unchecked growth in the North. Here’s why this matters and what’s at stake.

The delimitation debate: A federal flashpoint

Delimitation, governed by Article 82 of the Indian Constitution, redraws parliamentary constituencies based on census data—a process delayed until after 2026. Historically unchanged since the 1970s, it is now a lightning rod for regional tensions. Southern leaders argue that the current formula, tied to population, threatens to shrink their Lok Sabha share, currently at 24%, despite their economic contributions and demographic discipline. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has called for an increase to 33%, warning that the policy “unfairly penalizes southern states for controlling population growth while rewarding northern states with higher population increases.”

MK Stalin, a vocal critic since taking Tamil Nadu’s helm in 2021, framed it starkly: “Delimitation is a blatant assault on federalism.” His stance resonates across the South, where leaders fear losing seats to BJP-dominated northern states, amplifying concerns over political marginalization.

A united front: Southern leaders speak out

The JAC meeting was not just a Tamil Nadu affair—it drew a chorus of voices demanding fairness. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan echoed Stalin, decrying “the perceived injustice in the delimitation process that penalizes states for adhering to national population control policies.” Karnataka’s Deputy CM DK Shivakumar underscored the threat to “state rights and federalism,” while former Telangana Minister KTR from BRS pushed for “cooperative federalism—where states and the central government collaborate as equals—over what he calls coercive federalism.”

Even beyond the South, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Odisha’s former CM Naveen Patnaik joined the fray. Patnaik, backed by his Biju Janata Dal’s conch shell emblem, argued that “population-based seat allocation in India’s parliament unfairly penalizes states like Odisha and Tamil Nadu, which have successfully controlled population growth.” The message was clear: stronger states mean a stronger India, not a diminished South.

Beyond seats: Cultural and policy clashes

The delimitation row isn’t just about numbers—it is a proxy for deeper grievances. Southern states, including Tamil Nadu, see parallels with the National Education Policy’s three-language formula, which they have long resisted as a vehicle for Hindi imposition. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam, joined Stalin in alleging a central push for “Hindia,” a term encapsulating fears of cultural and political domination. Meanwhile, unresolved regional disputes—like Tamil Nadu’s opposition to Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam project—highlight the fragility beneath this united front.

The JAC’s resolutions reflect these stakes: transparency in delimitation, constitutional safeguards for population-controlling states, and a 25-year freeze on the process. Their next meeting in Hyderabad signals this is no one-off protest but a sustained campaign.

A wake-up call for federal equity

India’s federal structure thrives on balance, not dominance. The southern states’ outcry is not mere regional posturing—it is a plea for equity in a system tilting toward populous northern strongholds. The BJP-led Center must heed this coalition’s demands, not as a concession but as a recognition that punishing success in population control undermines national unity. Stalin’s “blatant assault on federalism” charge is not hyperbole; it is a warning. If delimitation proceeds unchecked, it risks alienating a South that has long been an economic powerhouse and a model of governance. The JAC’s fight is India’s fight—because a fractured federation serves no one.