CHENNAI: Sharply reacting to the announcement that the next Census of the country would be conducted from March 1, 2027, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday charged that his apprehensions about the next delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies came true “with the BJP-led union government delaying the Census to 2027”.

The CM, in a post on X, said, “The Constitution mandates that delimitation must follow the first Census after 2026. The BJP has now delayed the Census to 2027, making their plan clear to reduce TN’s parliamentary representation.”

The CM said what he had warned about is now unfolding. He charged that by siding with the BJP, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is not just silent but complicit in this betrayal. “It is now clear that he has surrendered to Delhi’s domination. The people of Tamil Nadu are united as one in their demand for a fair delimitation. We need clear answers from the union government,” he added.

On February 25, Stalin had termed the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies in 2026 (based on population) as a major threat to TN, as it is expected to reduce the state’s representation in the LS from 39 to 31. Stalin had warned that, in the name of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, a sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of the southern states.

If the total number of MPs across the country is increased and the seats redistributed, TN would still face a loss. “Ultimately, the voice of TN will get strangulated. This is not just about the number of MPs but also about the rights of TN,” he had said.

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