NewKerala.com

Lok Sabha Seats to Jump to 816, Assembly Seats by 50% Under New Bills

The government has tabled bills in Parliament that propose a major expansion of legislative seats, aiming for implementation from the 2029 general elections. The Lok Sabha would see its seats increase from 543 to 816, while state assembly seats would rise by approximately 50%, from 4,123 to 6,186. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated the delimitation would not harm southern states, noting their share of total seats would remain nearly the same. The proposal also includes vertical reservation for SC/ST women within the broader framework of the women's reservation Act.

Key Points: Lok Sabha, Assembly Seats to Increase Under New Delimitation Bills

  • Lok Sabha seats to rise from 543 to 816
  • Assembly seats to increase by 50% to 6,186
  • Implementation targeted from 2029 general elections
  • Amit Shah assures southern states' share protected
2 min read

Assembly seats will increase by about 50% if three new bills passed by Parliament: Sources

Parliament bills propose increasing Lok Sabha seats to 816 and state assembly seats by 50% from 2029, with Amit Shah assuring no loss to southern states.

"will not harm the southern states but will, in fact, benefit them - Amit Shah"

By Deepika Rathour Chauhan, New Delhi, April 16

With the government intending to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 as part of its push to implement the women's reservation Act from 2029 general elections, sources said that there will be subsequent expansion of assembly seats if the three bills are passed in Parliament and their number would go up from 4,123 to 6,186.

If the bills are passed, the assembly polls after the 2029 Lok Sabha polls will be held according to an expanded number of seats and a delimitation exercise, sources said.

Delimitation Bill, 2026, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were tabled in Lok Sabha earlier in the day.

The proposed amendment bill includes changes to seven constitutional provisions, namely Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 332, and 334(A).

At the state level, Assembly constituencies will also be redrawn based on the 2011 Census. The total number of Assembly seats is expected to increase by 50 per cent, sources told ANI.

Additionally, the proposal includes vertical reservation for SC/ST women, along with a "quota within quota" mechanism to ensure more targeted representation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Delimitation Bill, 2026, will not harm the southern states but will, in fact, benefit them.

He stated that under the 50% increase model, the current 543 seats in the Lok Sabha will rise to 816, leading to an increase in the number of seats for all southern states.

Union Home Minister added that the existing 129 seats of the southern states in the Lok Sabha will increase to 195, and their share in the total seats of the House will remain almost the same at around 24 per cent.

Amit Shah said that in the present House of 543 members, Karnataka currently has 28 members, which is about 5.15 per cent of the total. After the passage of the proposed bills and the constitutional amendment, the number of seats for Karnataka will increase from 28 to 42. In that case, in a Lok Sabha of 816 members, Karnataka's representation will remain around 5.14 per cent, therefore, Karnataka will not suffer any loss.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Finally, a concrete step towards women's reservation! The 'quota within quota' for SC/ST women is crucial for inclusive representation. 2029 seems far, but at least the process has started. More women in the House can change the discourse. 🙌
A
Arjun K
The math is reassuring for states like Karnataka. If the share remains almost the same, it should ease tensions. But the devil is in the details of the delimitation exercise. Will it truly be neutral?
M
Michael C
As an observer, this seems like a significant restructuring of Indian democracy. Expanding representation is generally positive, but the timing and the political motivations behind such a large-scale change need careful scrutiny.
P
Priyanka N
While the intent for women's reservation is good, increasing the total number of MPs and MLAs will also increase the cost to the exchequer. In a country with so many pressing needs, is this the best use of resources? We need efficient governance, not just more politicians.
K
Karthik V
Good move if it leads to better governance and more accessible representatives. With more seats, hopefully, each MP/MLA will have a smaller constituency to manage. But will it reduce corruption or just create more positions to be filled? Time will tell.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50